Kyle, a Shih Tzu, gets all dolled up for his new owners during Greater Media Newspapers’ Day of Greater Good at the Sayreville Pet Adoption Center on Feb. 17. GMN controller Kathy McBain (center), an experienced groomer, gets ready to work on the 5-year-old purebred, assisted by shelter manager Jeanine Abood-Molson (l) and Linda Vinci, GMN human resources manager. Staff writer Sam Slaughter looks on. ERIC SUCAR staff A n old Chinese proverb states, “He who helps others helps himself.” A group of GreaterMediaNewspapers employees proved that adage true Feb. 17 when they volunteered at the Sayreville Pet Adoption Center in Middlesex County, as part of Greater Media’s Day of Greater Good campaign to offer assistance to charitable organizations that could use a few extra hands – at the very least.
When Greater Media Newspapers Human Resources Manager Linda Vinci, News Editor Adele Young, Controller Kathy McBain, staff writer Sam Slaughter and Production Department page paginator Diane Thompson set out early on the day of their mission, the sky was cloudy, but there was the promise of sunshine and awarmday in the forecast, a great relief to all after a fierce winter.
When they arrived at the Sayreville Pet Adoption Center, they were bearing the food, toys, cleaning supplies, blankets and towels donated by Greater Media Newspapers employees. They were welcomed warmly and with much enthusiasm by the staff who were grateful for the assistance and supplies. They also were greeted with curiosity and excitement by the 100 cats and 13 dogs, all waiting to be adopted at the “no-kill” center, which has a capacity of 18 dogs and approximately 200 cats that will never be put to sleep due to age, illness or overcrowding, at that shelter.
The shelter is attached to the Sayrebrook Veterinary Hospital, 1400 Main St. in Sayreville. According to Barbara Keegan, the shelter’s director, the adoption center was started 18 years ago as an offshoot of the veterinary hospital when people abandoned their pets at the hospital. In 1999 Dr. Joseph Chiosi, who owns the hospital, opened the current facility, which has indoor-outdoor kennels and a playground for dogs.
Each GMN volunteer was paired with a shelter employee and given instructions as to what their tasks would be. That day, in addition to Keegan, the GMN volunteers met shelter staffers Jeanine Abood-Molson, the shelter’s manager; Karen Stratton; Terry Davies; Dory Noel; Jane Dynow; Joe Halmi; andWalt Keegan.
Undaunted by the pungent surprises that awaited them in the cages, the GMN volunteers dived right in and helped with the morning routine of cleaning all the cages and dog runs, mopping the floors, preparing and serving the animals their 50-60 cans of cat and dog food, and washing and folding the 50 loads of laundry that are done every day to clean the towels and rags used to keep the animals and their cages clean and comfortable.
As they did their jobs, the volunteers got to knowall the sad stories behind the faces of the animals that were lucky enough to find their way out of the cold streets, abusive situations, heartbreaking losses or economic strife and into this temporary safe haven that, hopefully, leads to a forever home.
They got to meet two sister cats, Kym and Nina, who had each given birth to litters of tiny kittens, 6 weeks old and 6 days old, respectively, thatwere small enough to fit in the palm of a hand.
Signs on the cages noted each pet’s personality, some saying “needs cuddling” or “a gentle giant.” The gentle giant was a huge dog named Hercules, who was rescued by the Sayreville shelter the day before he was about to be put to sleep at a facility in Camden.
At 12:30 p.m. the shelter’s doors opened to the public. Volunteers, like Jennifer Bugget, an EMT from Keyport who visits on her way home from work, came to walk and play with the dogs to get them used to being with people and give them the attention they so crave. Other people came with donations; still more came looking for a new family member.
Bugget said she saw an ad for adoptions at the shelter in the Suburban, one of Greater Media Newspapers’ 10 local papers, and she came to volunteer. “I come because I love dogs and I foster dogs. It’s amazing the transformation that occurs when they are properly cared for. Some dogs are just thrown away when they become inconvenient. Everyone loves a puppy, but I like the older dogs; they are already trained.”
That day the sun truly was shining upon the adoption center, with an unusually high number of dogs finding their way to new homes. Many visitors said they came to the shelter looking for a specific dog they had seen online via the adoption listings found in the Suburban newspaper on gmnews.com.
That day Ralphie, the 10-month-old German shepherd who was barking his heart out looking for attention earlier that morning, got tomeet his new parents who had been searching for just that kind of dog. They showed up that day after seeing him online and said they had a big yard waiting for him.
When GMN’s Kathy McBain, an experienced groomer, saw Kyle, a 5-year-old Shih Tzu who was quite scraggly, she got out the grooming tools she had brought along and went towork. In less than two hours, she transformed the little guy into a handsome pooch, just in time to meet his new family, which included Rascal, a ShihTzuwho looked just like Kyle. At home waiting were two other Shih Tzus. Kyle has ongoing kidney stone problems andwas about to be put down when the Sayreville Pet Adoption Center rescued him.
That day, the shelter workers found out that someone who had visited Willie, an active brown pup who was recently brought to the shelter, was coming back to adopt him.
Many dogs and cats still remain at the shelter. Some, like Moo, a big black and white dog, were so happy to see visitors that they were literally jumping (very high) for joy. Velvet, aptly named for his velvety gray coat, and beautiful, brown, gentle Fay also still remain, as do so many other dogs and cats.
Perhaps the happiest ending was for Colby, a big light-brown pooch who was surrendered to the shelter after his caretaker lost his home and was forced to live temporarily in his car with the dog. Colby was adopted but was returned shortly when the new owner’s boyfriend didn’t want a dog. However, Colby’s original dad is now in a better position and was coming to reclaim him in a few days.
Bymid-afternoon, the sun was shining and the GMN volunteers and shelter workers watched tearfully as the once homeless dogs went off to start a new and better chapter in their lives.
“It was such a heartwarming experience,” said Linda Vinci, who had arranged for her GMN colleagues to visit the shelter. “Seeing those dogs go home to good families was just a wonderful sight.”
Keegan stood and watched Kyle leave and said to the Greater Media Newspapers volunteers, “It’s just a flood of emotions, especially when you see something like this [referring to Kyle], a dog that was so sick and scruffy, and nowhe’s going to have a great home. I let them go with mixed emotions because we love them, but we want them to go. And Willie and Ralphie are also going home today, too! This doesn’t always happen here. You brought us luck, andwe’re so excited to have you here and so grateful for all the donations.”
The adoption center depends on individuals and businesses for donations, such as the box lids from ShopRite, which are used as litter boxes, and open bags of kitty litter that can’t be sold in stores, donated by a reclamation center. Clean towels and blankets are needed for bedding as are cleaning supplies, like bleach and laundry detergent, and of course pet food. Monetary donations help purchase supplies and medication for the animals. Fundraisers help them raise much-needed funds.
The adoption center is currently selling bricks for Paw Print Way, to be built outside the kennel area attached to the building. Orders will be accepted through June 30 for small ($50) or large ($125) engraved bricks in honor or memory of a loved pet.
In addition, a “Tricky Tray” benefit will be heldApril 29 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 88 Jackson St., South River. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Call 732-727-3895 or visit the shelter for details about either fundraiser or about pet adoptions.
The Sayreville Adoption Center is open to the public at 12:30 p.m. every day and closes at 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; at 7 p.m. on Thursday; at 4 p.m. on Saturday; and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.