Monmouth County SPCA Still Housing Pets From Hurricane Sandy

By Christopher Sheldon

The Monmouth County SPCA, at 260 Wall St., Eatontown, has seen an influx of animals, especially cats, since Hurricane Sandy.

"We saw an influx of cats after Sandy because people lost their homes or were not able to immediately get back into their homes," Public Relations Director Lisa Mulhearn said.

Monmouth County SPCA President Jerry Rosenthal said that while some of the animals brought to the shelter since Hurricane Sandy have been adopted, a large number remains.

"We're still seeing the impact of Hurricane Sandy as people go through the phases of recovery," Rosenthal said. 

Mulhearn said the total number of animals at the Monmouth County SPCA is 448, which includes 127 fosters. Of that total, 347 are cats and 90 are dogs.

The average length of stay for cats is 70 days and average length of stay for dogs is 54 days.

Mulhearn said the average length of stay for an animal waiting to be adopted is 66 days, but that the adoption rate has been going down month by month. 

"Our manageable levels in the building are for 300 cats and 80 dogs and once we hit those numbers we are looking for additional foster homes and are facing stress-related issues as well as illness for the animals," Mulhearn said.

Rosenthal said some animals were sent to partnering shelters in other states such as Maine and Pennsylvania that were able to find homes for animals brought to the SPCA because of Hurricane Sandy.

However, the local animals were kept at the shelter and some have not been adopted.

"We're basically at capacity," Rosenthal said. "And we only euthanize animals for severe behavioral or medical issues not because of space."

Mulhearn said the SPCA has also seen an increase in the number of animals brought there because of hoarding and animal cruelty cases that came to light after Hurricane Sandy. 

"Because we do animal cruelty cases when people don't sign the animals over and there are pending court decisions, we can't adopt them," she said. "We really try to work with the people being charged to get these animals into homes."

In an effort to relieve some of the congestion at the shelter, the SPCA has been holding events such as donation-only adoptions on weekends.

There is a 3-day adoption event from July 19-20 where the shelter will have extended hours. The Beach Buddies Adopt-A-Thon will be run from 12-8 p.m. on July 19-20 and 12-6 p.m. on July 21.

The SPCA's vaccine clinic will also see its hours extended on July 20 to 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Guests will also be invited to visit the SPCA to have their pictures taken with their pets in a beach party-themed environment for a small donation.

Rosenthal said events such as the Beach Buddies Adopt-A-Thon are important for the Monmouth County SPCA.

"We're not affliliated with the county," he said. "We are only funded through private donations and adoption and clinic fees."