Hovensa on Wednesday donated a specially equipped vehicle to the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center to help transport stray, abandoned or abused animals on St. Croix.
During a brief ceremony at the refinery Wednesday David P. Huffman, president and chief operating officer of the St. Croix oil refinery, delivered the keys to the 2008 GMC pickup truck to shelter coordinator Gretchen Sherrill and other group officers.
The pickup has a new animal control unit installed in the truck’s bed, with six individual compartments in which animals can be transported securely and safely. There are two small compartments on each side of the unit and two large compartments on the back.
Each compartment has two parallel doors to prevent accidental release of an animal. The animal control unit has an internal ventilation system and interior and exterior lighting.
Huffman said Hovensa was happy provide funding for the vehicle to enable the center to carry out the essential task of collecting strays.
“I have seen what they do at the shelter, and I know this vehicle will be put to good use,” he said.
Huffman cited the contribution of other companies that participated in making the donation possible, including:
• Antilles Leasing, Inc., which identified a suitable truck and paid the taxes and fees required for the truck’s registration;
• Crowley Liner Services, Inc., which transported the animal control unit from the manufacturer on the mainland to St. Croix; and
• Primaisla, Inc., which mounted the animal control unit into the bed of the truck and made the connections between the unit and the truck’s electrical system.
During Wednesday’s key presentation, animal warden Moises Carmona thanked Hovensa and said the vehicle will be a big help. It will now be possible to transport animals safely and securely to the shelter without any chance of an animal escaping from individual cages carried in the open bed of a pickup.
He also noted that the vehicle is equipped with lights so that he can now operate at nights.
Sherrill also thanked Hovensa for the donation. “It is the right unit as far as safety and technology is concerned,” she said.
