Friends of Wayne Animals
leave Building
but continues its mission…
Wayne – Friends of Wayne Animals (FOWA) is sad to announce its departure from the Wayne Animal Shelter, after having operated the shelter since July 1994. FOWA’s contract with Wayne Township expired on June 30, 2007, and the Township has declined to restore the current contracted partnership. Instead, it gave FOWA a temporary extension and a revised proposal that FOWA could not accept. FOWA would like to clarify reasons behind its decision.
The proposal limits FOWA’s role to assisting in the cleaning and caring of animals, but gives the Township exclusive rights to the animals and final say in adoptions and euthanasia. FOWA members do not believe this arrangement is in the best interest of the animals. Before FOWA took over operations of the shelter, the facility had an 80 percent euthanasia rate. In the 13 years that FOWA has operated the shelter, it has lowered the euthanasia rate to less than one percent. In FOWA’s first year, adoptions increased by 500 percent, and the organization has continued to find homes for thousands of animals.
Despite the small size of the shelter, Wayne Township has contracted with other municipalities to accept their animals. The Township also lowered the maximum number of animals allowed at the shelter: only 10 dogs and 30 cats can be housed at the facility at any given time. On average, FOWA receives approximately 400 animals annually from Wayne alone. Naturally, accepting animals from other municipalities puts a great burden on the shelter and, FOWA believes, increases an animal’s risk of being euthanized.
The cost to run the Shelter is approximately $168,000 annually which is mainly comprised of veterinary fees, medications, pet food, supplies and to pay a cleaning staff. The Township of Wayne has provided FOWA with $24,000 (14.3 percent) of that money along with the building. FOWA raised the remaining $144,000 through donations, fundraising and adoptions.
FOWA has also initiated programs that promote spay/neuter, heighten the shelter’s profile in the community, advertise the availability of animals who need homes, and have been engaged in humane education in Wayne schools and community groups. Members have made many inroads in the community and residents have looked to FOWA to address concerns about pet behavior, animal cruelty and pet healthcare.
FOWA members would also like to respond to several public comments that have been made.
It has been reported that the State Department of Health and Senior Services cited the shelter for repeated violations of record keeping and disease control rules. According to the Shelter’s most recent State inspection report, most of the violations were due to inadequacies of the facility. Maintenance of the facility is the responsibility of the municipality. FOWA recognized the inadequacies more than four years ago and formally presented to the Mayor and Council the need for a new animal shelter in Wayne. In 2003, funds were appropriated towards the construction of a new facility. Four years later, a new facility still has not been constructed.
Any suggestions that the State had recommended to FOWA to improve recordkeeping were immediately implemented. To date no one has come back to the facility to reinspect the improvements made.
Comments have been made about FOWA allowing cats to roam free in the shelter. In order to provide a stress-free environment, selected cats were allowed to do so in a restricted area, after having been appropriately vaccinated, tested for disease and spayed or neutered. This is a common practice at many animal shelters and sanctuaries. As to keeping dogs exclusively outdoors, this was done temporarily in order to accommodate the public during emergency circumstances such as the recent flood and fires. Any animal placed outside was provided with appropriate housing, food and water and was only a temporary means of housing.
The media recently reported a town employee’s opinion that FOWA was leaving Wayne “high and dry.” This is not accurate. As it has always done, FOWA put the health and well-being of the animals first. Every animal in the shelter was removed to expedite adoption, along with the necessary equipment to keep them safe and well.
As an organization, FOWA will continue its great service to the animals and the community by providing the highest quality of care through foster programs, assisting and educating the community with our spay/neuter program, and continuing to be the organization that FOWA is recognized to be – one that cares for the animals until you do.
FOWA wishes to thank all its volunteers and the public for their continued support, good wishes and friendship. The organization is actively seeking a new facility. In the meantime, if you are interested in serving as a foster family, making donations or adopting a pet, please contact
FOWA at 973-902-7515,
PO Box 3701
Wayne, NJ 07470.
read more of FOWA’s history
read a copy of the proposed contract (.pdf)