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NORTH JERSEY - Local animal shelters are brimming with kitties
(by Rebecca Scanlon - News Editor - September 24, 2008)
NORTH JERSEY - Tri-Boro Animal Welfare (TBAW) has taken in so many cats and kittens this year that a great number have been remanded into the care of local foster families — but they're looking for permanent homes.
Dee Maharg, a TBAW volunteer, said that there are at least 30 adult cats up for adoption at TBAW's Butler and Kinnelon shelters and in foster homes, and another 15 or so kittens that are under 6 months old.
"Many of them (cats and kittens) are in foster care," Maharg said. "And now the kittens are getting bigger."
Maharg said that while this is the season when the shelter typically has a high number of animals in its care, this year the number of felines looking for adoptive families is nearly overwhelming and has required the help of several more local foster families.
"It's definitely more than last year," she said.
TBAW volunteer Jennifer Natale said that she suspects the downtrodden economy may have had an effect on the number of animals the shelters have taken in this year.
"I think people have had to give up their animals because they can't afford to care for them, and others can't afford to adopt animals," she said.
Also, Natale added, litters of animals that are not spayed or neutered have ended up at the shelters.
"We took in a feral mother with a litter of seven kittens — think about that, that's eight cats," she said.
Tri-Boro is actively seeking those who want to adopt a new pet. The shelter does not forfeit the animals until they have found a suitable home, but space is tight.
"We keep them until we find them homes," Maharg said.
Natale said that she hopes adoption rates will pick up now that the school year has started, meaning that families are back from vacation and setting into a routine that could include a new pet. But since the numbers of cats up for adoption have increased from last year, volunteers are urging potential new parents to visit the shelters.
"It's important that people come in and consider adopting cats," Natale said.
Those wanting to adopt may visit either the Butler or Kinnelon shelters on adoption days, every Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m., or call 973-831-5555 to make an appointment to look at the cats and dogs that each shelter has.
The Butler shelter is located at 12 Belleview Ave. and the Kinnelon shelter is at 118 Kinnelon Road.
Through Petfinder.com, Tri-Boro has posted pictures and descriptions of the cats and dogs that it has up for adoption, but there are many more in its care. The descriptions can be found through Tri-Boro's Web site, tbaw.org, which also offers advice on things to consider before adopting an animal, what to do when adopting an older pet and how to introduce a dog or cat to its new home.
TBAW is working to decrease the number of animals that fall under its care by taking a pro-active approach to controlling the population locally.
"It's all a matter of spaying and neutering," Maharg said.
For instance, Maharg recently cared for four kittens that were born to a feral cat. The kittens were discovered in a wood pile at a local home and were brought to the local shelter. Two days later, the mother was caught and stayed with her babies at Maharg's home. Eventually the kittens were taken into the shelter and the feral mother was spayed and then released.
"We'd like to see them (the number of litters born to feral animals not spayed or neutered) wind down," Maharg said.
TBAW is also hosting several events that will raise funds to support the volunteer organization. While all workers are volunteers — six people every day care for the dogs at the shelter and four people every day care for the cats — the shelters still face several costs, especially the animals' medical costs. The next fundraiser is Sept. 28 luncheon at Outback Steakhouse in Butler. See sidebar for more information.
For those who care about animals but don't have the means to take any into their homes, TBAW has the ongoing Guardian Angel program in which individuals sponsor a shelter animal for days, weeks, months or even, if necessary, years at a time.
For more information, visit tbaw.org.
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