HISTORY OF F.O.W.A.
The following is a summary background of F.O.W.A., and a description of our service to the community
Friends of Wayne Animals Inc., was originally organized in 1986 as Friends of the Wayne Animal Shelter. From 1986 to 1989 the all-volunteer group worked in the Wayne Animal shelter cleaning, feeding, and socializing animals. It also raised $55,000 for the renovation of the small, poorly ventilated and ill-equipped facility. In 1989, the mayor ousted F.O.W.A. from the shelter after the volunteers vocalized their dissatisfaction with how the animal control officers (ACOs) were managing the facility; FOWA also vigorously complained that the money raised for renovations was diverted for other purposes (the renovations were not completed until 1994 and only after intense pressure from F.O.W.A. and the general public).
Undaunted, F.O.W.A. continued to operate without a facility as a rescue group for Wayne Township dogs and cats from 1989 to 1994. The organization adopted out approximately 200 animals per year during this period, and that was almost four times the number of adoptions done by the ACOs running the animal shelter. F.O.W.A. altered 100% of the adult animals prior to adoption, and followed up on the adoptions of the puppies and kittens to ensure that adopters complied with their contractual obligation to have the animal spayed or neutered. In addition, F.O.W.A. ran a free spay/neuter program for the shelter in 1993. We currently care for 1,100 animals per year.
In 1993, widely publicized charges of animal cruelty against one of the ACOs (viz., 85 complaints filed in Municipal Court; the case was settled out of court and the ACO retained his job) energized F.O.W.A. to lobby the town council to allow us to run the shelter. State Department of Health records documenting irregularities in shelter record keeping and euthanization of animals prior to the mandated seven-day waiting period further galvanized F.O.W.A.
In April 1994 the group submitted a proposal to the mayor and town council to allow it to assume management of the shelter. The proposal received unanimous support. The town decided F.O.W.A. would run the shelter and the Board of Health would continue to provide animal control services. F.O.W.A. began operating the Wayne animal Shelter on July 1, 1994, making it only the second rescue group in the state to assume management of an animal shelter. F.O.W.A. has been operating the Township Shelter since that time.
Prior to F.O.W.A.’s assuming control of the shelter in 1994, the municipality’s animal control officers ran it, but strictly as an impound facility with limited adoption hours and a high euthanasia rate. F.O.W.A. rescued animals from the shelter for 8 years before assuming it management. In its first year of operation, F.O.W.A. increased adoptions by 500% and reduced the euthanasia rate from 80% to 10%. We currently have less than 1% euthanasia rate.
In the past nine years, we have initiated programs that promote spay/neuter, heightened the shelter’s profile in the community, advertised the availability of animals that need homes, and have been engaged in humane education in Wayne schools and community groups (Boys clubs, Scouts, 4H and others). We have made many inroads to the community. Residents look to us to address concerns about pet behavior, animal cruelty, and pet health care. Many rely upon us as a resource, such as for low-cost spay/neuter referrals. Among our efforts to improve our service to the animals and people who adopt our animals are that we temperament-test dogs.
F.O.W.A. is a nearly all-volunteer organization, (we pay college students to help clean along with their volunteer services). The cost to run the Wayne Animal Shelter is $168,000 annually. The Wayne Township provides us with 16% of that money. F.O.W.A. raises the rest of the money through companies like you - donations. We have handled from 1000-1300 animals per year over the last twelve years. The vast majority of the cleaning, dog walking, animal socializing, adoption counseling and fundraising is done by thirty active volunteers. Also, these same volunteers work on special events, adoption follow-ups and fostering kittens and puppies. This is a group of volunteers committed to serving the community and furthering an important cause.
As of June 30, 2007, Wayne Township had decided not to renew FOWA’s contract and there for take control of the Animal Shelter and had contracted out with two other towns, West Caldwell and Cedar Grove, NJ. However, Wayne Township decided wanting to keep FOWA in the shelter has made a proposal in which FOWA cannot accept. It gave FOWA a limited roll in cleaning and medicating animals only. Wayne Township, has taken full control of the animals care and euthanasia and with a small ill-equipped shelter, FOWA numbers feel euthanasia will be expected to rise well above the less than 1% that FOWA has always maintained. FOWA is now operating as a rescue group only until another location can be found.