Compassion for animals in Camden, New Jersey

No longer wanted, abandoned to fend for themselves, or thrown away. Over the last ten years in the City of Camden the practice of throwing away dogs or cats was the reality for 150,000 of them. That is 41 each day and still counting taken from the New Jersey Department of Health Animal Intake and Disposition Report. 

It is a practice so common that it is accepted and sometimes even expected. Hardly anyone raises an eyebrow or calls the authorities, possibly for fear of retribution, and no one is surprised when yet another puppy or kitten is taken into the household. The newcomer may fare no better because there will be another day of moving, no money for vet care, grown too large, or too much of this and not enough of that.

The abandoned one often stays near her former home. She usually does not travel more than a few blocks in either direction in search of food scraps. Often she will continue to sleep on the porch or sit of the front stoop. Now ailing and weak, the abandoned will still wag her tail to greet her former caretakers who literally have to step over her to get to the door. But, the door will shut, she is not allowed in, no one in the house cares anymore. So she takes her daily chances on the mean streets to become a statistic.

Then there those who remain at the house, but are equally unwanted. Many are chained for life, others are bred continuously and without mercy to make money, some get daily beatings for spite, are left to freeze to death, get set on fire, are fought to death, are used as bait for fighting dogs, are thrown off rooftops, are used for target practice, are left in back yards, basements and attics to die of starvation. A few of them are counted too because somebody may have called the city to come and pick up the dead.

The City of Camden, NJ is the county seat for a well-to-do Camden County where politicians have swept animal issues under the rug for decades.

Clearly, this indifference on the part of the county freeholders has resulted in the countys dubious distinction of more dogs and cats abused, abandoned, impounded and killed than any other county in New Jersey.

For more than thirty years, Camden County has ignored its responsibility to end the misery on the streets of Camden. Little or nothing has been spend on anything more than state mandated programs.

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE ALL OF IT!
Demand that County freeholders address the root of problem by providing education and free spay/neuter programs.

The Camden County Animal Shelter needs $625,000 in annual funding to save lives, operate properly and to provide city programs.

Please sign the petition for proper funding for the Camden County Animal Shelter!

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION  (and/or WRITE and/or CALL, names, addresses, and emails below)

Camden County Courthouse
520 Market Street
8th Floor
Camden, NJ
08102

Louis Cappelli, Jr.
Freeholder Director
(856) 225-5451
louc@camdencounty.com

Edward McDonnell
Freeholder Deputy Director
(856) 225-5458
mcdonnel@camdencounty.com

Jeffrey L. Nash
Freeholder
(856) 225-5466
jnash@camdencounty.com

J. Gurick
Freeholder
(856) 225-5576
tgurick@camdencounty.com

Joseph Ripa
Freeholder
(856) 225-5305
jripa@camdencounty.com

Riletta L. Cream
Freeholder
(856) 225-5453
rcream@camdencounty.com

Carmen Rodriguez
Freeholder
(856) 225-5575
carmenr@camdencounty.com

PLEASE NOTE:
Typewritten letters and phone calls are best. Emails may not be read for days, or may be deleted before being read. Also, if you can, consider reading your letter during a public freeholder meeting.

Thank you for making a difference!