Dear fellow animal lovers:

The West Orange Animal Welfare League, which is a volunteer organization, needs your help! We are very fortunate to have a shelter here in town, and do appreciate that animals are not sent to kill shelters, but there is a GREAT need and opportunity for change. Waiting to solve the issues at hand until a potential new site is found is simply unnecessary and unacceptable; we must take action now!

Recently it became public knowledge that there had been animals in the shelter since March...within three weeks the shelter was cleared, and all animals made it to new homes and rescue groups. So clearly, this never should have happened in the first place. There are other issues at hand as well, they include:

1) A LACK OF ACCESS...Volunteers need access to the site (other shelters have operated since the pandemic); they do not have a key to get in and must wait for the Animal Control Officer(s) to be present to gain access. The current time they may enter (pre-pandemic) is 4-5 pm. M-F and that is when potential community volunteers are working...this is a system set up to fail.

2) CURRENT ANIMAL CARE IS INSUFFICIENT...The Vet who has been contracted for decades has no medical plan in place according to the volunteers; vaccinations are not consistent with industry standards, and his visits are far and few between — it’s not unusual for months go by with no visit!

3) BUILDING MAINTENANCE...The building maintenance falls on volunteers, not DPW, as is the case for other municipal properties (in addition, the volunteers provide paper goods and products).

4) VENTILATION...The ventilation is hazardous. There is mold and dirt and air filters are not replaced.

5) DOG RUNS...The dog runs are in ill repair, which is a hazard.

6) DRAINAGE...The drains are only cleaned when the smell becomes intolerable.

7) LIGHTING...There is no exterior lighting, which is a hazard for when volunteers attempt to park on site.

8) TRASH...A dumpster behind the building needs to be removed. The smell permeates throughout.

9) STORAGE...There is complete lack of sufficient storage space. (Once the dumpster is removed, WOAWL can have a shed purchased and installed.

These are just a few of their short-term needs...the list goes on. There is a discussion about potentially moving the shelter (most likely in well over a year if not more) to a proposed site near Essex Green, but the above issues cannot wait.

The WOAWL needs your assistance advocating for their short and long term needs. Please contact council members and the mayor expressing your support to get this right. You can contact the council at: Council@WestOrange.org and the mayor at Mayor@WestOrange.org. Please also copy the West Orange Animal Welfare League at WOAWL01@aol.com.

Will you add your voice to help?