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Felines rescued from cat- -- Tuesday February 12th, 2008
Felines rescued from cat-astrophe
NEW HOMES NEEDED: Twenty-five cats soon will be put up for adoption after they were saved in Toms River
By Lauren O. Kidd • TOMS RIVER BUREAU • February 12, 2008
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TOMS RIVER — Some were found in cabinets, others in drawers and even in couches.
In all, about 25 cats were living in one apartment and sharing one litter box before being rescued from the Silver Ridge Apartments complex by an animal rescue group earlier this month.
"You could barely walk in the place. The smell was so bad," said Barbara Egan, adoption supervisor for Tails with Happy Endings Inc.
The group was started about 15 months ago to help keep animals out of the Toms River Animal Facility, members have said. Animal rescue workers and shelter volunteers have been lobbying for a larger and more up-to-date shelter for years.
As a volunteer with another area animal rescue group, Egan has seen situations similar to the Silver Ridge one. The cases are known in the animal rescue world as "hoarding."
For other members of Egan's group, however, this was the first time they encountered so many animals living in one place, she said.
"It was a rude awakening for them," Egan said.
Beth Bonomo, group member, said: "It was something I don't even want to see again. I couldn't breathe."
The group learned of the apartment through a telephone call.
Members then went to the apartment and set traps with food in them to catch the animals.
Citing confidentiality issues, neither Tails with Happy Endings nor the Toms River Animal Facility, which was made aware of the situation after the animals were removed and the tenant evicted, would provide the names of those who lived in the apartment or the specific address.
No charges were brought against the owner of the cats.
"We don't have much to go on. The cats were already removed. The woman was already removed," said Jim Bowen, manager of the Toms River Animal Facility.
The Toms River Animal Facility handles such situations on a "case by case" basis, Bowen said. Sometimes, charges of animal abuse or animal neglect are brought, he said.
The mission of the rescue group, which does not euthanize, is to simply get the animals, said Donna Oliver, a member.
"We don't judge," Oliver said.
"Our purpose is to get the animals. We don't make waves. We want the animals," she said.
Nine of the cats are now living in blanket-lined cages in Oliver's garage. Others are living with other group members.
They must be quarantined for at least another week because they need vaccinations and other medical attention and need to be spayed or neutered before they can go to foster or adoptive homes, according to group members.
Tails with Happy Endings is looking to find permanent homes for the felines — a combination of males, females, kittens and adults, including pregnant cats. The group is also seeking donations to be used to pay for the medical attention.
"We don't want to see them again. We want to see them placed forever," Oliver said.
In your voice
Read reactions to this story
Rumrunnermonkey3 wrote:
Tails with Happy Endings is a fine group, I have known Beth for more years than I can remember and the care these animals must be getting comes from her heart of gold and those of the other members.
2/12/2008 1:30:58 PM
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stuckinnj wrote:
Its heart breaking that people can treat these poor animals like that!! How awful and so terribly cruel!! I am so glad to hear that there are loving, kind folks out there who will help!
2/12/2008 10:44:33 AM
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Ittybittykitti86 wrote:
I don't understand how these people can get like this and think the cats are happy and heathly. I have two cats myself and everytime I see another cat I want to bring it home, but I know I don't have the room for them. It's just so sad to see these helpless animals like this.
2/12/2008 10:41:40 AM
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Beachgirrll wrote:
We have an apartment complex across from us where people move and leave cats. We have had several strays in our yard, including a small female who had just had a litter of kittens. She was friendly and always trying to get inside. I fed her and she got close to us. That summer, a friend rounded up the kittens and took them to foster. They have wonderful homes now. The mother cat now lives with us. She's been nuetered and given medical checkups. She is now chubby, spoiled rotten and quite content with run of the house. My cats also sit by the windows and watch the outdooor cats. People are ignorant about animals. In the summer people come down from the city, open their summer homes, get their kids a kitten or cat, then in September they go back north and leave the animal to fend for itself. A very sorry situation for the poor animals.
2/12/2008 10:16:09 AM
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LisaJ wrote:
I have a neighbor that does the same thing, but then complains about it all the time. She use to make comments about my cats, until I provided the vet bills for the spay/neuter and then it stopped. She seem to think every cat in our neighborhood was mine. I guess thats the price you pay for having cats. We are permitted to have cats in our complex after paying a deposit, but people move in get a cat then move out and leave them behind. It's a never ending issue here. I feel so sorry for these cats, one day they have a home and the next day the don't. I just can't afford to take care of all of them. Every cat I have brought in for help has had Aids and was put to sleep, and I get upset everytime. It's heart braking!
2/12/2008 8:54:29 AM
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lbmom wrote:
Yikes- my neighborhood alone must have 100 stray cats- it is a never ending cycle and really sad in the winter for these poor animals that didn't ask for this. My cats look out of the window at them like kings in their warm home, in comfy beds with lots of food/water. My neighbor has taken it upon herself to supply food, spay/neutering, shelter for them through the SNAPS organization. But it seems there are kittens all of the time that they are not spaying/neutering all of them. (It must be impossible to!) We have two kittens living in our shed that I am trying to trap to have spayed/neutered/released back. We would also like to get them the proper shots. Our cats are indoor cats and never go outside.
2/12/2008 6:52:09 AM
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Donna Oliver of the Tails with Happy Endings rescue group is keeping Prince Manny and eight of the other cats rescued by the group in her garage. (STAFF PHOTOS: TIM McCARTHY)
HOW TO HELP
Those interested in fostering or adopting a cat may visit the Tails with Happy Endings Inc. Adoption Center at PetSmart, 1232 Hooper Ave., Toms River.
The center is open 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 12:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Donations to support the veterinary care of the animals should be sent to Tails with Happy Endings Inc., P.O. Box 1013, Island Heights, NJ 08732.
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Tails with Happy Endings Inc.
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