HOLMDEL- Concern for the welfare of animals is a basic tenet for Victor “Buddy” Amato and one that carries over into his professional life, whether in his work at a local animal shelter or a marshal arts dojo.
In recognition of his devotion to animal welfare, Holmdel resident Barbara Ling recently nominated Amato for the 2008 Animal Planet Hero of the Year award bestowed by the popular cable TV network. Amato is the chief humane law enforcement officer for theMonmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and operatesAmato’s Karate and Weapons Academy in Keansburg.
“My four children and I signed up for karate at Amato’s about a year ago after the Virginia Tech massacre,” she said. “I realized that I have taught my children everything about academics but nothing about self-defense.”
According toAnimal Planet, the television network devoted to programming about animals both domesticated and wild, the contest was created to bring recognition to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary service in time, effort and results for a cause that contributes to the welfare of animals.
“Chief Amato has done so much for animals inMonmouth County,” she said. “He broke that case where the local guy [Anthony Appolonia of Aberdeen] was [indicted on charges of] killing cats.”
Ling also appreciates the valuesAmato and his instructors teach at the karate school.
“Animal welfare is an important thing to teach children and it is present all over the dojo,” she said. “He always has animal adoption posters up and they teach the children respect. It isn’t always about fighting, most of the time it is about avoiding a fight.”
Amato, a retired police officer, said that encouraging children to learn about animal welfare is an important aspect of their young lives and something he is most proud of.
“If you can get kids at a young age to understand how important it is to treat animals with care, you can circumvent them becoming rapists or serial killers,” Amato said. “The FBI states that it is well known that all of the most famous serial killers began torturing animals at a young age.”
For Amato, catching people who torture and mistreat animals keeps him in court almost every day.
Currently,Amato is working to make a wildlife rehabilitation center a reality for Monmouth County.
“We could use one here,” he said. “There are hundreds of young animals in Monmouth County that have been abandoned because their parents were hit by a car or killed in some other way.”
Amato explained that volunteers rehab these abandoned animals in their homes and that it would benefit both the community and the animals to have a central place for the animals to be prepared to return to their environments.
Ling said that she felt compelled to nominate Amato for the award after watching Animal Planet with her family and visiting the Web site. “I feel great,” Amato said of his nomination. “It is an honor just to be nominated and to have my work appreciated.”
Ling recalled how patient and caring Amato was recently when a little boy entered the dojo upset about a turtle he had found that had a broken shell.
“Chief Amato stopped what he was doing and filled out a report in his office about the turtle,” she said. “The boy left reassured and it just made such an impression on me.”
Amato chuckled at how observant Ling was that day. “A little boy had come into the studio very upset about what was probably an alligator snapper, or what everyone calls a ‘turtle,’ and the turtle had a crushed shell,” Amato explained. “He had been hit on Essex Road and everyone who knows who I am comes in to tell me about animals being hit or mistreated in the area. So I filed a report and called my headquarters and animal control.”
Amato explained that if a car hit the animal accidentally, he lets animal control handle the situation, but he investigates to determine if malice was involved.
“If you hit an animal and keep going, that is cruel,”Amato said. Amato said that he handles all kinds of animals.
“We get things like caimans [alligators] and primates, anything that people have let in their homes as pets and later don’t want because they are unable to properly care for them,” he said. “I handle about 100 cases a month.”
Amato said that he would definitely welcome the grand prize, but was honored just to be nominated.
According to Animal Planet’s Web site, the grand-prize winner of the 2008 Hero of the Year Award will win $10,000 to be donated to the winner’s favorite animal welfare organization and a trip for two to the winner’s choice destination that supports their passion for animal welfare. The person who nominated the winner will win a $1,000 cash prize. “Well, of course I would want the money to go to the Monmouth County SPCA,” Amato laughed. “No question there.”
As for the vacation, Amato said he would like to visit the Australia Zoo, where Terri Irwin is continuing Steve Irwin’s life mission of educating people about wildlife.
“After Steve Irwin passed away, I wrote a letter of condolence on behalf of the department to Terri and Steve’s family,” Amato said. “And since then, Terri has kept in contact with me and has invited me to see their zoo. I would love to go. I haven’t had a vacation in five years because of the work I do, but I love it.”
The Animal Planet Hero contest also awards a Cat Hero of the Year. Winners will receive a $5,000 donation from the makers of Fresh Step litter to an animal welfare organization of the winner’s choice. Additionally, the person who entered the nominee will receive a $1,000 cash prize. According to the Web site, the first 200 entries will be sent a Hero of the Year campaign T-shirt.
Animal Planet heroes are featured on a television series aired weeknights at 10 p.m. The notification for this year’s heroes will be made in August, with Animal Planet contacting the winners. Animal Planet viewers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite hero online from Sept. 29 to Oct. 13.