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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>**I received this information via e-mail today and I wanted to share.
If anyone can spare a few moments to write an e-mail or even just forward this
on to a few more people that would be something. The situation at this animal
shelter is appalling as you will clearly see if you view the photos shown in
the link below<font color=blue><span style='color:blue'> (removed)</span></font>.
I will warn those of you with weak stomachs that you may want to avoid looking
at the photos as they are pretty upsetting. This is not an shelter in some
backwoods rural area of the country. This is <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Newark</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">NJ.</st1:State></st1:place>**<br>
<br>
Please forward the below alert widely.<br>
<br>
Dear companion animal advocates:<br>
<br>
Several weeks ago I learned of appalling conditions at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Newark</st1:place></st1:City>'s Associated Humane Societies,
documented by inspectors in the state health department, Office of Animal
Welfare. Under the Open Public Records Act, I obtained copies of pictures and
reports from July and August 2009 (attached), letters from state health
department veterinarian Colin Campbell to AHS director Roseann Trezza, plus
reports dating back to 2005 and one from 1996.<br>
<br>
The pictures contain images that are, in my opinion, nothing short of criminal
neglect and abuse, and depict horrific suffering of animals in that so-called
shelter. In fact, I don't have the words right now to describe the scenes of
feces, infections, rotting dead animals, utter filth and more. Plus, the dead
cat and dog tossed haphazardly in shopping carts and left to rot behind the
building indicates not a shred of compassion was extended to these animals even
after they were killed! Their deaths were bereft of any dignity.<br>
<br>
Repeat violations indicated on the inspection reports include<br>
<br>
· improper veterinary supervision<br>
<br>
· injured and sick animals receiving no medical treatment<br>
<br>
· animals being killed before the required 7-day holding period<br>
<br>
· improper euthanasia protocols<br>
<br>
· animals left sitting in runs saturated with feces and urine, causing skin
infections on their bodies and feet and,<br>
<br>
many more serious infractions.<br>
<br>
AHS has no foster homes program, doesn't allow volunteers (what does AHS not
want volunteers to see?), or holds off-site adoption events like other
shelters/pounds that go the extra mile to make adoptable dogs and cats
available to the public. Many potential adopters will not go to a run-down area
of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Newark</st1:place></st1:City> to
adopt and without these critical programs, most of these animals will never
have a chance at finding homes.<br>
<br>
According to a health department source, the AHS adopted out only 9% of its cat
population in 2008, meaning 91% died or were killed. These animals deserve
better than this!<br>
<br>
And according to AHS's 990's (which are public record) this facility has a $4
million annual budget and both Roseann Trezza and Terry Clark (who also sits on
the NJ SPCA's Board of Directors) annually earn, respectively, around $125,000
and $110,000 to run this place. Clearly the photos and high-kill rate of
animals belie what is published in AHS newsletters, where solicitations for
donations to "help animals in need" generate even more money. Animals
are suffering while AHS and its leadership sit on large bank accounts!<br>
<br>
As if the 2003 SCI reports weren't bad enough, it now appears nothing has
changed for animals who have the misfortune to end up in the hands of the
Associated Humane Societies.<br>
<br>
Link to AHS pictures (click on slideshow):<br>
<br>
<a
href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Libbywill1973/AssociatedHumaneSocietiesNewarkNJ73009"
target="_blank"
onmousedown="UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this), "48b313b9f46c8ddf5ca418f3437157fc", event)">http://picasaweb.google.com/Libbywill1973/AssociatedHumaneSocietiesNewarkNJ73009#</a><br>
<br>
Link to the 2003 State Commission of Investigations (SCI) report on Associated
Humane Societies:<br>
<br>
Actual report, PDF, 153 pages: <a href="http://www.state.nj.us/sci/pdf/ahs.pdf"
target="_blank"
onmousedown="UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this), "48b313b9f46c8ddf5ca418f3437157fc", event)">http://www.state.nj.us/sci/pdf/ahs.pdf</a><br>
<br>
2003 Press Release: Waste and Abuse by Associated Humane Societies<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.state.nj.us/sci/pdf/ahspress.pdf" target="_blank"
onmousedown="UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this), "48b313b9f46c8ddf5ca418f3437157fc", event)">http://www.state.nj.us/sci/pdf/ahspress.pdf</a><br>
<br>
Statement of a former AHS volunteer<br>
<br>
Animal advocates have been trying to force <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">New Jersey</st1:place></st1:State>'s Associated Humane Societies
(AHS) to vastly improve conditions for the animals in their care, for
decades--all for naught. Even the 2003 State of New Jersey Commission of
Investigations report documenting deplorable conditions for the animals has,
apparently, not resulted in much, if any, improvement.<br>
<br>
I can only testify to what I personally saw.<br>
<br>
I was a volunteer at the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Newark</st1:place></st1:City>
facility about 15 years ago. I witnessed filthy, stinking dog runs. I witnessed
lack of medical care for suffering animals. I witnessed terrified, NON-feral
cats housed in the open area with feral cats (one whom I adopted, FIV+ Oscar,
lived with me only a short-time until he died from cancer).<br>
<br>
The vet was forced to focus on paying customers, as the veterinary office was
also used as a for-profit veterinary facility. Fortunately, for the animals,
the veterinarian in charge, when I was there, was an animal advocate and did
all that she could to treat the animals and to make sure that as many as
possible were spayed/neutered. Most of the care that the animals received was
due to her diligence, not to AHS policy--in fact the veterinarian had to fight
with the powers-that-be to treat the animals. I saw her treat animals who had
been wounded (or become pregnant) WHILE at Associated Humane. I adopted two
cats who were about to be killed, because they were FIV+. One of them lived
very happily until last year.<br>
<br>
I adopted/fostered many of the animals (dogs, cats, rabbits--who were housed in
a dark, dirty room that the public did not see--and guinea pigs), as did the
other volunteers, because we could not stand to see them suffer at AHS. Of
course, we could only take a small number of the hundreds of animals who were
housed there. One of the rabbits I adopted was missing a leg, but none of the
staff could tell me when/where/how she lost the leg--or even if it happened
while she was housed at AHS.<br>
<br>
I also heard, from staff and volunteers, of pitbulls who had been stolen from
Associated Humane--in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Newark</st1:place></st1:City>,
you can only imagine what horrors these dogs faced.<br>
<br>
When injured animals came in, the focus was frequently not on helping the
injured animal, but on using them to raise funds.<br>
<br>
All of those who volunteered with me were as disgusted with conditions for the
animals as was I. I also spoke to volunteers who served before and after me,
whose experiences mirrored my own. I was fired as a volunteer when I spoke out
against the practice of feeding the animals as little as possible (for reasons of
stinginess, despite the large amount of donated food) and against charging more
(a LOT more) for purebred animals (as this promoted the idea that purebreds are
more desirable than mixed breeds).<br>
<br>
As I never returned to AHS, I did not know whether conditions had improved. I
had told people who asked me, that I hoped they had. Sadly, this does not
appear to be the case.<br>
<br>
--------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>--------------------------------<br>
<br>
WHAT YOU CAN DO:<br>
<br>
Please contact the two state veterinarians who oversee the Office of Animal
Welfare, which is responsible for inspecting pet shops, kennels, shelters and
pounds. Ask why there has been no follow-up inspection of AHS since August, and
why the state didn't issue a failing grade after finding REPEAT violations:<br>
<br>
Colin T. Campbell, D.V.M., C.P.M.<br>
Senior Public Health Veterinarian<br>
Infectious & Zoonotic Disease Program<br>
NJ Dept of Health and Senior Services<br>
Email: colin.campbell@doh.state.n<a href="http://j.us">j.us</a><br>
<br>
Faye E. Sorhage V.M.D., M.P.H.<br>
State Public Health Veterinarian<br>
Infectious & Zoonotic Disease Program<br>
NJ Dept of Health and Senior Services<br>
Email: faye.sorhage@doh.state.nj.us<br>
<br>
Contact Matthew Boxer, NJ State Comptroller, and urge him to open an
investigation of Associated Humane Societies:<br>
comptrollertips@osc.state.<a href="http://nj.us">nj.us</a><br>
<br>
Contact the NJSPCA Board of Trustees and demand the immediate dismissal of
Terry Clark from the Board:<br>
<br>
<a href="mailto:frizzo@njspca.org">frizzo@njspca.org</a>; <a
href="mailto:sygoldberg@njspca.org">sygoldberg@njspca.org</a>;ssha<a
href="mailto:tkin@njspca.org">tkin@njspca.org</a>; <a
href="mailto:ryocum@njspca.org">ryocum@njspca.org</a>; <a
href="mailto:Biermann@njspca.org">Biermann@njspca.org</a>; <a
href="mailto:jhunker@njspca.org">jhunker@njspca.org</a>; <a
href="mailto:apeterson@njspca.org">apeterson@njspca.org</a>; <a
href="mailto:mrayhill@njspca.org">mrayhill@njspca.org</a>; <a
href="mailto:avansavage@njspca.org">avansavage@njspca.org</a>; <a
href="mailto:K9getem@aol.com">K9getem@aol.com</a>; <a
href="mailto:Sherryrams@aol.com">Sherryrams@aol.com</a>; <a
href="mailto:avansavage@njspca.org">avansavage@njspca.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br clear=all>
<br>
-- <br>
Melissa<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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