Middle Convenes Animal Advisory Board

COURT HOUSE – What does a 31-year-old medical professional, a firefighter, a township risk manager, a supporter of the Jersey Shore Pops, a veterinarian and other community activists have in common? They volunteered to serve on the new Middle Township Animal Advisory Board. The board is designed to promote and protect animal well being in the community.
“This is one of the most important public safety initiatives the township has initiated in recent memory,” stated Middle Township Mayor Timothy Donohue. “The rights of domestic pets and other animals in the township and the rights and safety of members of the public will be balanced by the efforts of our new Animal Advisory Board.”
According to a release, the board was created via ordinance by the Middle Township Committee last month. It consists of township officials and safety experts as well as volunteer members of the general public.
Among township officials serving on the board are Capt. John Edwards of the Middle Township Police Department; William Candell, animal control officer; and Dawn Stimmel, who will serve as board secretary. The board is chaired by Madelyn McCarroll and also includes veterinarian Dr. David Hirsch.
“The first course of action by the board will be to identify areas of improvement regarding animal-related issues that face our community,” Donohue stated. “We are consistently reviewing all policies and procedures in every facet of government and I’m certain the board will guide the township committee in making the right decisions for the public, and for our animals.”
McCarroll stressed that the board is strictly advisory; and that Donohue placed no restrictions on what they should consider. The board plans to meet every month for a while as it begins the process of forming a team to support animal rights by educating township residents about current local and state legislation and common sense steps to safeguard animals during extremes of hot and cold, or emergencies including natural disasters that require evacuation of people and animals.
Animal Welfare Society is a private non-profit founded in the 1980s as one of the first no-kill shelters in the state and country. It is not affiliated with Middle Township.
The Cape May County Animal Shelter, in Crest Haven, is the impound shelter for Middle Township. Through much community support, legions of volunteers, dedicated staff and supportive organizations like the Animal Alliance Spay/Neuter Clinic and Animal Welfare Society, this public shelter has worked its way to no-kill status.
“A no-kill shelter means any facility where 90 percent of all animals taken in eventually survive.” She explained that, sadly, some animals are too sick, or too vicious to survive.
The township distributed information during the winter months regarding the importance of protecting domestic pets from frigid temperatures. Middle Township also held two rabies clinics at its public works facility, and enacted a state-mandated dog census.
The township also ended shared services agreements with other communities to ensure that the focus of the Middle Township Department of Animal Control is entirely focused on the municipality. The advisory board wants to build on that record of caring by focusing on community awareness of laws, common sense practices and coordinating existing policies such as the fire department’s plans for evacuating animals in case of emergency.
Board members related instances where they witnessed pets that were left out in arctic cold conditions last winter as well as recent examples of pets left in closed cars with no ventilation or water. According to these members, the current laws and ordinances are often too vague to be enforced.
Other instances of neglect indicate that enforcement personnel do not always understand laws that exist and therefore take no action when called upon. The central theme of this meeting was that education and enforcement must go hand in hand and that this board will conduct research into similar ordinances enacted elsewhere and contact animal welfare groups to provide guidance. They hope to provide practical advice to the township solicitor to draft ordinances with language that is easy for anyone to understand, apply and enforce.
The panel is also discussing ways to encourage community outreach such a tip line or email address either directly, or through township government and law enforcement so that the community participates in this initiative. For additional information, please visit www.middletownship.com.