MCSPCA weighs in on plan for county shelter BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer UPPER FREEHOLD - The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals (MCSPCA) supports the county's plan to develop its own animal shelter. Upper Freehold Board of Health members on Jan. 8 considered taking part in a feasibility study for a county shelter, called the Animal Share Program. Freehold Area Board of Health Officer Margaret Jahn had told the board that each municipality participating in the study would pay $500. She had also said that the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Eatontown, which is a privately funded, no-kill shelter, doesn't have enough room in its facility to help all of the animals contracted municipalities bring to it. No-kill means that healthy animals without temperment problems will not be killed. However, vicious dogs and animals with certain illnesses or injuries may be euthanized. Jahn also referred to theMCSPCA's fees for municipal strays as "astronomical." Ursula Goetz, the executive director of the MCSPCA, said that Monmouth County's lost animals should go to a county animal shelter. She noted that neighboring Ocean County already has two county shelters and a third under construction. "In this way, the taxpayers cover the cost for the care and services for these unfortunate animals," she said. "InMonmouth County the only two animal shelters are privately funded by donor donations." The other shelter inMonmouth County besides the MCSPCA is the Associated Humane Society's facility in Tinton Falls. According to Goetz, most large animal rescue organizations in the nation like the New York City SPCA, the Philadelphia SPCA and the San Francisco SPCA are no longer accepting lost animals from municipalities. "All realized and have taken steps accordingly, that providing care for lost animals is an expensive undertaking," she said. Goetz said contracted municipalities pay theMCSPCA$85 per lost dog and $100 per lost cat. She said that if the MCSPCA were to charge for kenneling services as other animal rescue organizations do, the costwould be per capita and not per animal. "Therefore, themunicipalitywould have to pay a larger sumfor [its] lost animal services, whether [the] lost animals [are] turned in to the shelter or not and based on the number of town residents," she said. Goetz said that state health department regulations require shelters to care for lost animals for a period of seven days before putting them up for adoption so owners have a chance to reclaimtheir animals. "Unfortunately," she said, "only 30 percent of dog owners reclaim their dogs. Sadly, only 2 percent of cat owners reclaim their cats." While some of the animals at the MCSPCA are adopted out withinweeks of their stay, others, especially the older ones, stay at the shelter for a year before a loving home is found, she said. The MCSPCA must have staff on hand to care for the animals 365 days a year, she said. Goetz said that anyone who has put an animal in an established boarding facility knowsMCSPCA's fees for the same services are lower. She also explained that fees cover the costs of vaccinating animals against distemper, bordetella, rabies, feline leukemia and feline immune virus, as well as testing for heartworm, deworming, grooming and treating themfor ticks, fleas and earmites. The fees also cover the costs of the animals being spayed, neutered and microchipped. "They aremicrochipped, and the chip is registered so that if the animal becomes lost, they can be returned to the owner," she said, adding that they are spayed and neutered to keep the county's population of strays down. Goetz said that anyone who has taken an animal to a veterinarian in the last year knows what all of these services cost. In the event that an animal is unadoptable, Goetz said theMCSPCAhas to pay for a certified technician to inject it with a euthanasia solution. She said the shelter is also charged with cremation fees. Goetz said she wishes elected officials would take an interest in and become better acquainted with the workings of animal shelters to understand what it costs to provide animal services. Upper Freehold Board of Health member Dr. Kathy Stryeski, a veterinarian who operates the CreamRidge Pet Care Center, said the town tried to build its own shelter at one time, but "didn't get very far." According to the township Animal Control Officer Mary Klink, most strays from the municipality are not taken to the MCSPCA but are taken to the Associated Humane Society's facility in Lacey Township in Ocean County.