HSUS and N.J. Health Department house displaced Sandy pets

Immediately preceding Superstorm Sandy, the Ocean County Health Department partnered with the Humane Society of the United States to set up a temporary emergency animal shelter, which closed on Friday, Nov. 30. During the course of the month, the former dog kennel located on Collinstown Road in Barnegat had housed more than 200 pets.

Photo by Ryan Morrill
HSUS staff off veterinary care to pets at
the temporary emergency animal shelter,
located in Barnegat, N.J.

Most of the animals were picked up from their devastated homes by HSUS via the New Jersey Hurricane Sandy Pet Rescue hotline, animal control or the SPCA. Others were dropped off by displaced county residents who had been staying at one of the area’s two designated pet-friendly shelters and were later transferred to places where animals were not accepted.

“These are not stray animals that were just kind of roaming the streets after the storm. Most of these animals actually had owners,” said Brian Lippai, manager of the Northern and Southern Ocean County Animal Facilities. “Most of these folks either lost their home, or a portion of their home, but their home is uninhabitable. So they have to make other arrangements.

“It’s difficult because if they do find housing, a lot of these folks can’t take their pets for one reason or another; somebody’s allergic, or their friend can’t take another dog or another cat because they’re not compatible. You name it, there’s a reason why somebody can’t take their pet,” he explained.

Exotic pets, including rabbits, fish, hamsters and even a few hermit crabs, as well as a plethora of cats and dogs, stayed at the shelter. Each animal was fed, groomed and medically treated on a daily basis by HSUS staff and volunteers. Many of the animals’ owners regularly came in to snuggle and interact with them.

“We really want to provide (the animals with) what they would be getting in their own homes, even though they’re in a temporary situation,” said Michelle Lago, a consultant with the HSUS animal rescue team. “It’s a disaster out there, but it’s not a disaster in here. We try to make it like home for them.

“The last thing we want to place on an owner who’s lost everything is that their pet needs vet care. We have it; we’ve got it under control. We can take care of it, and we can send them home with a healthy pet or a pet with medication. We really provide the owner with everything that we possibly can. So it’s one less thing on their mind,” she emphasized.

Although most of the animals’ owners have been contacted and their pets have been retrieved or surrendered to the county, there were still about 40 of them still at the shelter this past weekend. Two dogs and a number of cats still remained on Saturday, Dec. 1. Though obviously distraught, it was easy to see they were receiving plenty of attention from the staff and volunteers who were caring for them.

Photo by Ryan Morrill
Brian Lippai, manager of the Ocean County
Animal facilities, soothes an anxious dog
waiting to be picked up by his owner.

“The animals are well taken care of, but they wish they could be home with their owners, sitting on the couch, chewing on a bone or chasing a ball. I can’t blame them,” said Lippai, petting a gray and white poodle that had greeted him with a loud bark.

Seaside Heights resident Mary O’Connor had a bright smile spread across her face as she picked up her cat Spooky Boo from the temporary shelter that day. But she wasn’t taking her feline friend home. Spooky Boo was headed for Maplewood, where resident Becky Sierp would be fostering her for a few weeks until her owner, whose beachfront home was destroyed during the storm, could find a place to rent.

The two women, who had never met until that day, got in contact via FosteraSandyPet.org, an online social network that is connecting displaced families who need help caring for their pets with potential foster caregivers. The network is a collaboration among St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, HSUS and the Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey. So far, more than 600 community members have signed up as fosters.

“It’s not really feasible for me to travel to the shore and help with cleanup since I live so far away, but I can help this way,” said Sierp, while loading Spooky Boo and her provided supplies into the back of her car.

Sierp said she would keep in contact with O’Connor via phone and e-mail and would be sending weekly updated pictures.

“The community support has been amazing,” said Lago. “Even though they’ve been the ones going through these horrible circumstances, people have been coming in and bringing donations, supplies, treats, food, cat litter and toys, which we’ve been able to pass on to owners or fosters. We’ve been able to provide everything they need because of these donations, so we’re very thankful for that.”

The rest of the animals still waiting at the shelter will be transferred to one of the county’s two animal facilities until their owners or temporary caregivers can retrieve them. Pets relinquished to the county will be put up for adoption through state and out-of-state animal facilities.

Photo by Ryan Morrill
Mary O'Connor places her cat Spooky Boo
into the back of Becky Sierp's car who is 
fostering the animal until its displaced
owner can find a place to rent.

“We’re not going to euthanize any of these pets; we’re going to find them homes,” said Lippai. “We’re not going to say, ‘Beat it’ and let the cats out the back door, either. But the shelters pretty much work at full capacity 90 percent of the time, so we’re hoping anyone who’s willing to foster one of these pets will do so.”

Dorothy Reynolds, president of the Friends of the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter, said she hopes many people will consider adopting a shelter pet at this time, especially during the holidays. She also urged people to remember that pets are not novelties, and that they need a “warm, loving, forever home.”

If anyone is unable to care for his or her pet, Reynolds suggests stopping by a shelter to acquire pet supplies, or surrender them to an animal facility.

“Many people think if they let their animals go as strays, someone will wind up taking care of them. But oftentimes that’s not the case,” she said. “It’s a frightening experience for a pet to be taken from their home, where they’ve had a caregiver, and to be dropped off in the woods,” she added, while also mentioning that many stray animals are more susceptible to contracting diseases or getting injured or abused.

Anyone looking for his or her pet should call the New Jersey Hurricane Sandy Pet Rescue hotline at 1-855-407-4787. The direct line is available 24 hours a day. For more information, visit fosterasandypet.org.


This article was published in The SandPaper.