Sandman Consolidated School students in Cape Assist’s Project Vision program lent a hand to help some furry friends this month. They held a drive to collect used newspapers, blankets, treats, cleaning supplies and other necessary pet items for the dozens of dogs and cats that currently reside in the Humane Society’s of Ocean City’s no-kill animal shelter.
The shelter is both a permanent home to unadoptable pets and a temporary residence for dogs and cats that need homes. It operates largely on donations from the public, said Rachel Durphy, Assistant Vet Tech at the center.
The demand for services has increased greatly in recent months, she said. In fact, it’s estimated they go through literally a ton of kitty litter in a month, and the supplies and assistance offered by groups, like Project Vision, help a lot. A wish list is posted online at www.hsocnj.org for those who would like to know how they can help.
After learning about the shelter’s important work in the community, the students met some of the facility’s four-legged residents. Community involvement is an important element of the Project Vision after school program, director Elene Fiordaliso said. “It teaches the students that as young as they are, they can make a difference. They learn they can have a positive influence in the world,” she said.
