Pickup of dead deer proves
daunting task for resident
MANALAPAN — Waking up to find a dead deer on your front lawn is not a pleasant experience, according to one township resident, and trying to have it removed may even be worse.
"I called the Manalapan police on July 11 at 5:30 a.m.," said Victoria Stinemire, Route 522. "The dead deer was laying in the middle of our front yard."
Stinemire said she was told by the police dispatcher that the only way the dead deer would be removed is if it were brought to the edge of the road. Stinemire said her husband put on a pair of rubber gloves and dragged the deer across the front lawn to the edge of the property.
"I came home from work at 9 p.m. and the deer was still there. I called the police again, and I was told to call the health department," Stinemire said. "The health department transferred me to the road department, where a person told me they’d call an animal service. I told them I already called the dispatcher and it’s been reported and it would be removed within 24 hours."
Stinemire said when she work up on July 12, the deer was still lying by the road.
"I came home from work and I called the road department again," she said. "I posted a message on a Manalapan Web site and a woman gave me the number for the state health department."
Stinemire said she called the state health department three times and explained the story and was transferred three times and was eventually given the number for the approved carcass removal service.
"I called there, but the number was no longer in service," Stinemire said. "Here we are with a dead deer that is stiff and swollen and ready to burst. We have children who walk to the recreation center. Our children and my neighbor’s children play in this yard. This is a severe health hazard. There’s Lyme disease. There are flies and God knows what. How do we get the town’s attention? Somebody’s not doing the job."
Stinemire said when she called the road department, she was asked exactly where on Route 522 she lives.
"So, since they can’t see the deer, maybe they can read the sign," she said, referring to the sign she placed next to the carcass that stated, "I’m a dead deer. Please pick me up."
"What else can we do? This is a health hazard at this point," she said.
When contacted by the News Transcript, Manalapan Police Lt. Denis Brady said a request had been faxed four times to have the deer picked up.
"The animal is supposed to be picked up by 5 p.m. of the day following notification," Brady said, noting that would have brought the expected removal time to 5 p.m. July 12.
On the evening of July 12, Mayor Mary Cozzolino said she would look into the situation and contact Monmouth County authorities on July 13.
On the morning of July 13, Marion Masnick, secretary to Monmouth County Freeholder Ted Narozanick, checked into the matter at the request of the News Transcript and confirmed that no response had been made to the requests for pickup. Masnick said the program which removes dead animals from roads is run by the state. A firm called Applegate Removal was supposed to do the job. Applegate Removal has an unlisted phone number. Masnick said she would check into the matter.
At the same time Friday, Maureen McGannon, legislative aide to state Assemblywoman Clare M. Farragher, checked into the matter and within minutes told the News Transcript the carcass would be picked up before noon on July 13, and it was.
"The health hazard is gone," Stinemire said later. "It’s a good feeling."
She said it was a shame she had to put a sign out next to the deer to get it removed.
She suggested that township, county and state officials ought to look into getting a different firm to remove the carcasses, "because they said (it would be removed in) 24 hours in the summer."
Stinemire thanked everyone for their help and for "making everything turn out OK" and said she could once again open her windows.

