Volunteers make shelter
a better place for animals
By sue m. morgan
Staff Writer
OLD BRIDGE — The dogs and cats housed at the township’s kennel took a short trip out of their usual digs last weekend and returned to find their home power-washed, painted and cleaned, thanks the hard work of some dedicated animal lovers.
Led by Old Bridge police Lt. Colleen McNamara, nine volunteers braved this past weekend’s chill and rain to sweep and power-wash the floors and walls and then paint the interior of the kennel, located at the municipal center behind the public works building.
On Monday afternoon, when the animals began returning home, the kennel floors were clean and the smell of fresh paint still permeated the building.
Some supplies still had to moved back inside, but overall the kennel was ready to reopen for business.
McNamara, a certified animal control officer who supervises the township-operated kennel, was pleased with the results and praised the volunteers.
Last summer, some township officials had discussed outsourcing the kennel’s operations to the Middlesex County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for budgetary reasons. The Township Council, however, chose to retain the kennel under municipal control because of public outcry and the longtime service of its two animal control officers.
With that in mind, McNamara decided it was time to spruce up the shelter.
"If we’re going to keep [the kennel] in-house, let’s raise the bar," McNamara said Monday. "Let’s give the township of Old Bridge a well-run, professional, attractive facility to take care of the animals."
To achieve that objective, McNamara went to vendors who could donate supplies and materials prior to the start of work.
An 8-by-40-foot storage container, dubbed by the workers as "Brunhilda" for its immense size, was donated by Maersk Sealand of Port Elizabeth and was transported to Old Bridge by DJ’s Towing of Laurence Harbor, McNamara said.
The off-white paint was donated by Benjamin Moore, and Gabowitz Appliance Center, East Brunswick, donated a new refrigerator for the animals’ food, she added. Arbe Landscaping Co., Texas Road, donated garden supplies and shrubbery to be planted around the kennel.
Besides cleaning and painting, many of the volunteers took animals home for the weekend so as not to subject them to fumes.
Sayreville resident Sonja Svenningson, a friend of animal control officer Barbara Lee Brucker, took all three of the kennel’s cats in on Saturday night.
"Sonja did a lot of moving around and put in a lot of hours," McNamara noted.
Township residents Candace Franchino and Barry Friedman assisted, as did Susan Dickison and Paula Ancmon of Jamesburg, John Gunderson of South Amboy, and Mike Kortekaas of Spotswood.
Monroe residents Joanne Camarata and Lynn Quanttrocchi, volunteers with a local Greyhound rescue, also assisted, McNamara said.
The paint job is the first for the 22-year-old shelter, said Brucker, who has worked there as long.
Although the dogs and cats have returned to the kennel, they are still seeking permanent homes. Anyone interested in adopting a pet from the kennel may call (732) 721-5600, ext. 6300.