Edison Scaling Back Animal Shelter Admissions To Address Overcrowding

EDISON, NJ – To address overcrowding at the Edison Animal Shelter, the Township will be ending its shared contract agreement with Piscataway, Councilmember Margot Harris said during the Council meeting.

The shared contract agreement with Piscataway will end in December and the township will not be renewing it.

However, the shared contract agreement with Metuchen, Highland Park and Dunellen will remain. The agreement with Highland Park was renewed last year and the ones with Metuchen and Dunellen expire in 2024.

“Eventually, until we can get our own house in order, we need to shed the shared service agreement with the other municipalities. We can’t bring in any more animals,” Harris told Council.

Recently Harris along with councilmember Richard Brescher attended the Edison Animal Shelter Committee meeting to discuss issues with the shelter.

According to Harris, the current building has structural problems and will need expansion and renovation. The township will also need to employ an architect for the work. The current facility is around 2,000 square feet.

The cost of the work is estimated to be around $2.5 million, Harris said.

But the township currently does not have a separate budget earmarked for the shelter. Instead, the money come from a trust fund account which includes donations etc.

“It’s not a good way to run day-to-day operation. In 2024, the township will include a budget for the animal shelter in the appropriations budget,” Township Business Administrator Sonia Alves-Viveiro said.

Harris also noted that employees at the Edison Animal Shelter make around $35,000 a year, and are currently “overextended.”

Harris gave the example of the Monmouth County animal shelter which is around 20,000 square feet and serves the entire county. The animal shelter has a thrift store and regularly hosts sales, to bring in more funds to the shelter. Harris suggested replicating their model for additional funds but on a smaller scale.

“I’m optimistic that we are on the same page and that we are going to be headed in a very positive direction,” Harris said.

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