Pet dumping incidents on the rise
Cream Ridge Animal Clinic has numerous animals up for adoption
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

"People are always dumping animals for one reason or the other, but during the summer months it's more extreme." - Lorraine Schreiber

Perhaps the economy or rising gas prices are affecting some people's ability to keep their pets.

Although she is uncertain about the exact cause, Dr. Barbara Eisen, a veterinarian, knows that the problem of pet dumping has worsened since she established the Cream Ridge Animal Clinic 16 years ago.

The veterinary clinic currently has numerous abandoned cats and dogs available for adoption for a donation fee, according to Eisen.

Lorraine Schrei-ber, founder of the Burlington County Animal Alliance (BCAA), said, "People are always dumping animals for one reason or the other, but during the summer months it's more extreme."

Schreiber said people may dump their pets because they are going on vacation or because they "just want to be free of [them]."

She said pets require a great deal of care.

"I do believe a lot of people don't want to be bothered," she said.

"I really don't know what to attribute any of these things to," Schreiber continued, "because for every lousy person you find dumping an animal, there is usually a nice person adopting [one]."

The BCAA is an organization that finds homes for abandoned animals and shelter rescues.

Schreiber said adoptions have been extremely slow during the past couple of months.

BCAA uses a system of foster homes for unwanted pets. Schreiber said it is hard to find foster homes for these pets because people are afraid they will get attached to the animals they are temporarily caring for.

"[They] are afraid of having their emotions suffer," she said.

Among the animals needing homes at the Cream Ridge Animal Clinic are three cocker spaniel mixes that one of Eisen's clients discovered while riding her bicycle down Jonathan Holmes Road. Eisen said the woman on the bike heard something crying in the brambles, where she discovered the little dogs huddled together.

Since the dogs ran away from the woman, she ultimately contacted Eisen. Eisen and her staff spent a week trying to catch all the pooches before finally succeeding.

Eisen said two of the dogs are females and one is male. She believes the animals are a mother and two older pups, and said they are "turning out to be very friendly."

Eisen said she also has many cats up for adoption, which she will only adopt out to indoor homes.

Among the felines needing a place to live is a three-legged gray kitten whose leg was crushed by a horse. Eisen said he is "very sweet" and does "very well" with just three legs.

Three other kittens at the clinic were found under a shed, with no sign of their mother. The animals were dropper-fed by clinic staff.

In addition, a mother and six kittens were left in a crate outside the clinic's front door. While the clinic has placed four of those kittens, two striped ones are still in need of a home, as is their mother.

There are also two other kittens in the clinic that were recently found in the debris of a wrecked house. The kittens came to the clinic with eye problems, and Eisen had to send them to a veterinary ophthalmologist in Medford for treatment. She said they will pay another visit to the eye doctor to have scar tissue removed and will only be available for adoption if they regain their sight.

Eisen emphasized the importance of spaying and neutering animals to control overpopulation. For cats, she charges $85 for a neuter and $140 for a spay. She said other local organizations provide low-cost spaying and neutering.

The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is an organization that provides low-cost spaying and neutering. For more information about the Monmouth County SPCA, call (732) 542-3125.

For more information on adopting a pet, call the Cream Ridge Animal Clinic at (609) 758-3030. To find out what the BCAA has to offer, visit www.petfinder.org.