Freehold Council OKs Monmouth SPCA For Borough Animal Control

FREEHOLD, NJ — The borough's contract with Manalapan for Western Monmouth Animal Control Services is now terminated, and the Monmouth County SPCA will take over the service, the Borough Council decided.

"Certain issues have arisen with regard to those services such that the parties agree that the termination of the agreement would be in the best interest of each," a resolution confirming the termination said.

There was not specific discussion of the change and the resolution was approved as part of the consent agenda. But at a past meeting, Western Monmouth Animal Control came in for criticism from some residents who found them not responsive when called about sick animals in the borough.

The council approved a proposal by Monmouth County SPCA (MCSPCA), Eatontown, to provide animal control services in an amount not to exceed $37,500 for a contract starting Oct. 2, 2023 and continuing through December 31, 2024.

Business Administrator Stephen J. Gallo said the new contract also is an annual $3,000 savings.

And Andrea Burica, an advocate for trap, neuter, return caretaking of cat colonies in the borough, said she was pleased with the change.

"I understand why why its contract was not renewed," citing her experience that the service was not responding to certain animal emergencies. Residents were often left to provide care for suffering animals, such as kittens, on their own, she had told the council.

"I'm grateful Freehold separated from them. I'm looking forward to working with the new animal control to benefit the animals and my community," she said.

According to the resolution, some elements of the new contract include:

• The MCSPCA shall make their services available to Freehold on a daily basis, during standard business hours, as needed, five days a week. Weekends, holidays and night emergency services (after standard daytime business hours) will also be provided when necessary on the terms stated.
• Services are defined as the rescue, custody and care of injured animals, trapped animals, sick animals, animals whose lives are endangered or animals presenting a danger to humans, including those who have bitten a person.
• Marine mammals, feral cat colonies and dead deer are specifically excluded, neither shall the MCSPCA trap, rescue, or relocate or care for geese unless same is in need of veterinary care.

The resolution also refers to issues involving cat colonies and the borough's pilot Trap, Neuter, Return program:

• Regarding cat colonies, "upon the municipality's request, or in the case for the need of animal humane and/or services . . ., feral cat colonies will remain the responsibility of the person "caretaker" caring for the cats. If there is a sick, rabid, or injured cat, the MCSPCA will provide services and assistance, and shall be entitled to be reimbursed for all the costs and expenses to the feral cat colony.
• If the colony is abandoned by the caretaker and the MCSPCA is called to remove any and/or care for the colony, the costs and expenses incurred by the MCSPCA will be in addition to the cost for services and will be the responsibility of the municipality.

There are other aspects of the contract dealing with emergency care:

• Upon a request from the municipality, the MCSPCA shall respond to an emergency as defined: Emergency veterinary treatment will be provided to an ill or injured animal as required by the state law regulation.
• If there is no known owner, the cost of in-house services shall be covered by the MCSPCA; any expense incurred by the MCSPCA for outside veterinary services will be the responsibility of the municipality.
• If the owner is known, the cost and expenses will be borne by the owner.
• The MCSPCA shall, at the request of an owner of an unwanted animal, render assistance in delivery of the animal to an appropriate humane shelter, including a shelter maintained by the SPCA. The MCSPCA will be paid for the cost and expenses of such assistance, which shall be the responsibility of the owner.

Other aspects of the contract relate to stray or unlicensed animals:

• The MCSPCA shall use reasonable efforts to impound any stray, abandoned or unlicensed dog or cat, running at large on public property within the municipality. When such impoundment occurs, the dog or cat shall be put up for adoption or humanly disposed of, at the sole and exclusive discretion of the SPCA, after the seven-day statutory hold period. It is expressly understood, once the MCSPCA accepts any animal and takes it into custody, it shall become the property of the MCSPCA for the disposition as stated above.
• Upon proof of ·ownership, any person may redeem his/her animal from the MCSPCA upon payment to the MCSPCA and shall be responsible to pay for any vaccinations and/or necessary medical treatment that the medical team deemed necessary. Once the ownership is established, and the animal is no longer a stray, regular boarding rates at $20 per day shall be paid to the MCSPCA by the owner prior to the release of the animal. No release or redemption shall be honored unless the owner provides proof of ownership and produces a current municipal dog/cat license if applicable.
• If an animal is unclaimed after seven days, the MCSPCA shall by law take ownership of the animal and offer the animal for adoption, humanly disposed or any other disposition that the MCSPCA deems humanely appropriate.

Another aspect of the contract refers to an animal bite:

• Any stray dog, cat or any other animal taken into the custody of the MCSPCA and charged with biting a human being, shall be quarantined for the required period of 10 days. The cost and expenses incurred during this period shall be the responsibility of the owner. If no known owner, the costs shall be absorbed by the MCSPCA.

Then there is the issue of wildlife removal:

• Removal of an animal, including wildlife, inside a home, apartment building, garage, roof, etc., "residence", is not covered under this agreement. The MCSPCA reserves the right to answer/respond to those calls. However, the owner of the premises will be charged $90 per hour during standard business hours and $118 after standard hours. If the nature of the call is deemed by a police officer to pose a public safety risk, the MCSPCA shall respond and handle the call at no cost to the homeowner.
• The MCSPCA shall not be responsible for handling deer or any wildlife carcasses; however the MCSPCA shall retrieve infirmed/injured deer or wildlife at the SPCA's discretion.

You can read the full contract here, starting on page 55 of the council agenda.