Local Shelter To End Its Animal Control Services In Madison

MADISON, NJ — St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center, which has locations throughout New Jersey, including Madison, will cease providing animal control services to the 19 municipalities it serves at the end of the year.

According to St. Hubert's Executive Director Tiffany Barrow, the difficult decision was reached after much deliberation and attempts to figure out how to sustain the level of service without the financial support that municipalities should provide for that level of service.

"We’re currently paying $2 in services for every $1 we are provided through contract funds. While our organization is financially secure, continuing to subsidize this work would essentially bankrupt us long term. This is a systemic problem, as animal services have been historically underfunded," Barrow said.

For decades, the shelter has provided animal control and rescue services for lost or found pets to surrounding municipalities from its animal welfare campuses in Madison and North Branch.

The shelter will stop providing animal control services in New Jersey once their contracts end on Dec. 31, 2022.

St. Hubert's, like many other animal shelters across the country, relies on private donors, grants, and foundations to carry out its mission and services. According to Barrow, the funding received by St. Hubert's through contracts is insufficient to continue providing contracted animal control services.

"While difficult, we know this is the best decision for long-term, sustainable impact for animal welfare within our communities. We can shift some of our focus and funding toward our community programs in New Jersey to help more animals and the people who love them," Barrow said.

St. Hubert's New Jersey locations will continue to operate as usual, with adoption services at both campuses, a training and behavior center in Madison, and other community programs such as free pet food banks, free vaccination clinics, and spay or neuter assistance.

"We deeply care about the people and animals in the communities we have long served," Barrow said. The shelter is currently assisting the 19 municipalities affected in their transition to new animal control contractors.

The municipalities that will be impacted once the animal control contracts conclude are:

• Alexandria Township
• Branchburg Township
• Florham Park
• Frenchtown Borough
• Hampton Borough
• High Bridge Borough
• Hillside
• Holland Township
• Irvington
• Lambertville
• Madison Borough
• Maplewood
• Milford Borough
• Netcong Borough
• Somerville
• South Bound Brook
• South Orange Village Township
• Watchung
• West Amwell Township.

St. Hubert's hopes to find animals in need for its own shelters by collaborating more closely with its shelter partners to rescue and transfer animals in New Jersey.

Animals of all ages, sizes, and breeds are currently housed at the shelter, ranging from kittens and puppies to senior pets. According to Ashton, St. Hubert's adoption counselors can help people find the perfect pet for their family and lifestyle.

"No appointment is needed. We encourage people to take a look at our website before they come in, to see which animals are available," Ashton said.

Anyone interested in adopting a shelter animal can view all available animals on St. Hubert's website.