The thinking these days is the annual vaccination is more detrimental to the animals than what was once thought. Vets will tell you every year is a must but the companies that make the vaccines don't know how long the vaccine lasts once given so the protocol was well - just give it once a year.

In cats vets are finding cancer sarcomas at the site of the injection so that is also a good reason to change to every 3 years.

Morale - do your research. There's a ton of info on the net.

Don't rush to do the annual vaccination.

THE JERSEY CITY REPORTER


03/29/2008
Watchdogs are fed up

New group wants action on long-troubled Hudson County SPCA
Ricardo Kaulessar
Reporter staff writer


FINDING A NEW HOME ? Bayonne residents Sandra and Jeremy Richardson found Precious when they volunteered at the shelter in January and adopted her.
A group of local animal lovers is sick and tired of the long-running problems at the Hudson County SPCA shelter in Jersey City.

In the last 10 years, a shelter worker was accused of beating an animal with a shovel; shelter officials went to court because two Rottweilers allegedly disappeared; a wide-ranging state report blasted the then-manager for allegedly selling the dog food for personal profit, and two months ago, separate inspections by the state and city claimed there were piles of feces and neglected animals.

The shelter, located on Johnston Avenue on the outskirts of downtown Jersey City, was inspected this past January by the city and in February by the state, both of whom found violations. This came seven years after a 2001 state investigation charged that the animals "languished in overcrowded, poorly ventilated enclosures without adequate food, water, or veterinary care."

Six years ago, partially in response to that state report, a longtime animal rights group called the Liberty Humane Society actually founded its own, separate shelter in Jersey City, and eventually won a contract for Jersey City's stray animals to be sent there.

But the SPCA shelter still gets animals from Union City, and sometimes from Jersey City.

After the 2001 report, the shelter's management changed several times. So why are there still alleged violations?
Recent inspections

Some animal lovers in Jersey City have taken the step of creating a new group, Hudson Animal Advocates, which seeks to make the Hudson County SPCA compliant with city and state regulations.

"There are issues with cleanliness and competent medical care for the animals that need to be addressed right away," said David Norman of Jersey City, one of the founders of Hudson Animal Advocates, last week.

Jersey City Animal Control Officer Joseph Frank said last week that the current operators of the shelter, Hector and Zoe Carbajales, were scheduled to appear in Jersey City Municipal Court this past Friday to respond to the violations found in the city inspection in January.

When reached at the SPCA for an interview last week, Zoe Carbajales replied with a "no comment."

State finds more than 20 violations

A report on the state inspection of the Hudson County SPCA facility on Feb. 20 found more than 20 violations of state rules governing the operation of kennels.

The report, done by state inspectors Renee Cirillo and Heather Bialy, listed in detail the problems found at the facility.

The report alleged that the drains at the shelter were "not used properly and are backed up with feces due to unproper cleaning procedures where piles of feces are hosed into the drains instead of scooped."

Another entry in the report listed "disease control program is inadequate" with several dogs in the shelter found to be "significantly underweight" and one of the dogs exhibiting "abnormal" breathing.

Bayonne residents Sandra and Jeremy Richardson said that they volunteered at the shelter in January and found similar problems.

The couple, who have operated a pet sitting/dog walking service for four years, said they saw a listing on the website Craigslist soliciting volunteers to walk the dogs there.

"They had no cleaning supplies when we got there," Jeremy Richardson alleged last week. "The place was filthy."

What broke their heart were the conditions of the animals, they said.

"They were nothing but skin and bones, it was just awful," Richardson said. "I would cry every time I came home from the shelter."

The Richardsons said they stopped volunteering after Sandra Richardson had an argument with Zoe Carabajes over how she and her husband were treated as volunteers, she said, as well over the conditions in the facility.

But they adopted a new pet from the shelter, a miniature poodle, after they said they saw her covered in feces.

Advocating for a better shelter

David Norman, who lives on Fourth Street in downtown Jersey City, owns two dogs.

"I can not for the life of me understand how that shelter continues to operate when it's been cited not just recently but in past years for violations," Norman said. "There needs to be a change of the board of directors that is supposed to oversee the shelter."

Residents have said that they have been unable to get the list of directors of the shelter.

Thus, there is no way of knowing whether some of the people cited by the state investigation in 2001 are still on the board.

Hudson Animal Advocates is currently in the process of applying for not-for-profit status. This organization will act as a watchdog to make sure the Hudson County SPCA follows all laws when operating their shelter.

The group has enlisted the help of New Jersey Appleseed Public Interest Law Center, based in Newark, for pro-bono legal representation, and the assistance of City Councilman Steven Fulop to find out who is on the shelter's board directors and whether the shelter has a current license.

For more on the history of the Hudson County SPCA, see previous Hudson Reporter articles written in 2001: http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/in ... =461&dept_id=523584&rfi=8
And in 2004: http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/in ... =461&dept_id=523584&rfi=8

Comments on this story can be sent to rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com






?The Hudson Reporter 2008

Please cross post.

My fellow animal lovers ?

The following is long, but PLEASE read all of it.

I am pleased to be able to announce the formation of a new animal
welfare organization, Hudson Animal Advocates. Hudson Animal
Advocates (HAA) is currently in the process of applying for not-for-
profit status. The first mission of Hudson Animal Advocates is to
see that all laws relevant to the operation of the Hudson County
District Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HCSPCA)
are enforced. To that end HAA has retained the services of New
Jersey Appleseed Public Interest Law Center for pro-bono legal
representation. In the words of our retainer, Appleseed has been
retained to "provide legal services ? in connection with ? efforts
to secure the open, transparent and lawful operation of the Hudson
County SPCA ("SPCA"), a 501(c)(3) charity operating in the City of
Jersey City. Specifically, ? our advice on the matter of obtaining
the cooperation of various state and local agencies in bringing the
SPCA into compliance with various state and local statutory and
regulatory requirements. This will include assistance from the
Public Interest Attorney in drafting correspondence to various state
and local agencies including but not limited to, the Attorney
General, in which ? will request the Attorney General take steps to
dissolve the Board of Directors of the SPCA and replace same with a
Board of Directors who can govern the organization appropriately and
consistently with all applicable legal requirements. " Joining us in
signing the retainer is Jersey City Ward E Councilman Steven Fulop.

In order to succeed in these goals, we will require your help and
understanding. We need to start with the following three action
items:

ACTION ITEM 1
We will start by reaching out to those who have taken some action
and convince them to take the next steps. We need each of you,
following closely the guidelines below, to write (via letter or
email) to the State Health Department, cc'ing the inspectors, the
Department's Attorney, Mayor Healey, and New Jersey City Council
President Mariano Vega. Your letters should mention the following,
in your own words where you feel it is appropriate. Make sure to
list whom you have cc'd at the bottom of the letter or email.

*The purpose of the letter is to request her cooperation in taking
strong steps to ensure that the HCSPCA is properly regulated under
NJAC 8:23A-1 et seq.

*The HCSPCA has a long history of operating in violation of shelter
regulations NJAC 8:23A-1 et seq. The HCSPCA has exhibited and
continues to exhibit a habitual practice of deplorable conditions
and substandard care of the animals. The HCSPCA has no desire or
intent to take the steps necessary to operate within the bounds of
the law. Strong regulatory response is needed to bring the facility
into compliance once and for all.

*The State Commission of Investigations' 2001 report noted that the
HCSPCA was the subject of more complaints and inspections than any
other SPCA shelter in the state. The SCI was sharply critical of
both the DHSS and the local Jersey City Health Dept. for failing to
take appropriate steps to ensure the facility came into compliance.
Both the DHSS and the local Jersey City Health dept. have a history
of inspecting the facility, finding violations, and then failing to
follow up or issue fines. In fact, the SCI stated that the DHSS's
failure to respond appropriately to the HCSPCA was indicative of the
failure of the shelter inspection system as a whole.

*You should say that you are aware both the State DHSS and the local
Health Dept. have recently inspected the HCSPCA and found
intolerable conditions and numerous, egregious violations. To break
the more than 25 year pattern of chronic abuses at the facility, and
lack of appropriate official action, you are requesting the DHSS
take the following steps:

Issue fines to the HCSPCA for all violations found at the 2/20/08
inspection pursuant to your authority under N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.14 and
N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.19. This is necessary and appropriate mostly
because, as noted in the report, the conditions had worsened since
the inspector's last visit.

Issue a recommendation to the local Jersey City Health Department to
suspend the facility's license until the HCSPCA submits and acts
upon an approved Plan of Correction.

Ascertain whether the HCSPCA currently has a license to operate from
the local Jersey City Health Dept. If not, then take all steps
necessary pursuant to the authority granted by N.J.S.A. 26:1A-15 and
N.J.S.A. 26:1A-5: to shut the operation down until such time as a
license can be obtained.

Hold a Public Health Meeting between the local Jersey City Health
Officer, Joseph Castagna, the president of the HCSPCA, and members
of the public to create a plan aimed at bringing this facility into
meaningful compliance.

Continue to do regular, unannounced inspections until meaningful
compliance is achieved.

The letter should end by asking her to please let the writer know
what she decides to do.

ONCE YOU HAVE SENT YOUR LETTERS, PLEASE EMAIL HudsonAnimalAdvocat es
@ comcast.net (remove spaces on either side of @)and let us know you
have done so. As soon as enough people have emailed us that they
have written, we will set up a call day. On that day we will ask
each of you who wrote Dr. Sorhage's office to call and confirm that
your message was received and ask what action is planned.

Write to:

Faye Sorhage, State Public Health Veterinarian
Department of Health and Senior Services
Division of Infectious and Zoonotic Disease
P.O. Box 369
Trenton, NJ 08625
faye.sorhage @ doh.state.nj. us (remove spaces on either side of @)

cc without comment to:
Renee Cirillo @ same address
Heather Bialy @ same address

Melissa H. Raksa, Chief Deputy Attorney General
Hughes Justice Complex, 8th Floor
PO Box 112
Trenton, NJ 08625
melissa.raksa @ dol.lps.state. nj.us (remove spaces on either side of
@)

cc Mayor Healey and Councilman Vega with a note indicating that this
is for their information (fyi). Please DO NOT include a note asking
them what they intend to do. We will address them on city action at
the appropriate time. They can be reached at the following
addresses:

Council President Mariano Vega, Jr.
City Hall
280 Grove Street
Room 202
Jersey City, NJ 07302
mariano @ jcnj.org (remove spaces on either side of @)

Mayor Jeremiah Healy
City Hall
280 Grove Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
MayorHealy @ jcnj.org (remove spaces on either side of @)

ACTION ITEM 2
We also need to raise public attention to the failings of the
shelter without making direct accusations that we, as individual
writers, can not prove. To that end, you should write to local
publications that express your horror at the local news reports you
have seen and poses one or more of the following questions:


Can anyone tell who is on the Board of Directors of the HCSPCA? The
information does not appear to be available anywhere.

Does anyone know if they have a license? The only license you are
aware of expired 5 years ago.

If they don't have a license, how are they still open?

Please write to:

Hudson Reporter Associates, L.P.
1400 Washington Street
PO Box 3069
Hoboken, NJ 07030
Attn: Letters to the Editor

The Jersey Journal
http://www.nj. com/mailforms/ journalletters/

The Star-Ledger
Star-Ledger letters must not exceed more than 200 words. All
submissions must include the writer's name, address and phone
number. Address and phone numbers are kept confidential. Unsigned
submissions will not be used. Calls made to you by the Star-Ledger
to verify authorship do not guarantee publication.
eletters @ starledger.com (remove spaces on either side of @)

ACTION ITEM 3
The district attorney has thousands of cases referred to his office
from local municipalities for action. Even if this matters to the
Prosecutor's office, the charges against HCSPCA Manager Zoe
Carbajales may not be noticed for awhile unless we make it float to
the top. You need to write the Prosecutor (again, by letter or
email). Thank him for taking the case. Tell him how upsetting you
find conditions at the shelter and how glad you were to hear that
Zoe had been charged. Urge him to please proceed with the charges
as soon as possible. Let him know that you will follow up to find
out what action has been taken. ONCE YOU HAVE SENT YOUR LETTERS,
PLEASE EMAIL HudsonAnimalAdvocat es @ comcast.net (remove spaces on
either side of @) and let us know you have done so. As soon as
enough people have emailed us that they have sent letters, we will
set up a call day. On that day we will ask each of you who wrote to
the Prosecutor's office to confirm that your letter was received and
ask what action is planned. Write to:

Edward J. De Fazio
Hudson County Prosecutor's Office
595 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07306
hcpo @ hcpo.org (remove spaces on either side of @)

The above action items do not address the issues related to Dr.
Young. Our retainer with Appleseed is limited to the SPCA, as they
need it to be, but we can certainly look into retaining them on that
issue as well. Having all the documentation available will help us
to achieve that. That woman needs to be removed from her profession
as soon as humanly possible. Also, if anyone on this list has ever
dealt with her 'rescue group' please contact us to recount your
experience.

For that matter, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to
contact us at HudsonAnimalAdvocat es @ comcast.net (remove spaces on
either side of @)

Please cross post.

There are others with similiar complaints against Dr. Young. She seems to think she has a right to take the law into her own hands and mistreats animals in the process.

She also has a rescue called Lend a Paw that she sells dogs and cats from. Some of these animals she steals from her clients that cannot afford to pay her fees.She is also a breeder of pure bred cats that she sells.

She is nothing but greedy and pathological.

I just sent you a personal message.


Quote:

http://municipalcodes.lexisnexis.com/codes/jersey/

Chapter 90 ANIMALS

ARTICLE III Dogs [Adopted 5-4-1971 as Ch. 6, Art. III, of the 1971 Jersey City Code, as readopted 9-19-1978 by Ord. No. S-128]


? 90-20. Removal and disposal of animal feces; animals not permitted access nor permitted to urinate or defecate within designated pet-free zone(s) within public parks. [Amended 1-2-1980 by Ord. No. 5-123; 10-25-2000 by Ord. No. 00-150]

A. It shall be unlawful for any person having control or custody of any animal within a city park to permit the animal to be present within any designated pet-free zone(s) or to permit the animal to urinate or defecate within any such zone(s); however, nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the presence of animals on pedestrian pathways adjacent to or within any pet-free zone(s) or to prohibit urination or defecation on such pedestrian pathways, provided that the person having custody or control of any animal complies with Subsection C of this section.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having control or custody of any animal to permit the animal to defecate or urinate upon the public property of the city or upon the private property of another unless the person immediately removes the feces and properly disposes of it; provided, however, nothing herein contained authorizes such person to enter upon the property of another without permission.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person to walk any animal on public property of the city or upon the private property of another without carrying at all times a suitable container or other suitable instrument for the removal and disposal of animal feces.

D. Handicapped persons who use Seeing Eye dogs are exempt from this section. Persons whose dogs are participating in dog shows or direct command obedience classes are also exempt from this section while their animals are actually participating in such shows or classes, but all feces must be removed and disposed of immediately upon the conclusion of the show or class.

E. The Director of Public Works shall have the authority, to designate any pet-fee zone(s) within city parks; provided, however, that not more than 50% of the area of any city park shall be designated as pet-free without prior approval of the Municipal Council via resolution.

F. Prior to designating any pet-free zone(s) within any city park, the Director of Public Works shall hold a public meeting to solicit the comments of residents on the proposed location of such zone(s). The Director of Public Works shall provide written notice of the meeting to the City Clerk and two newspapers of general circulation within Jersey City of the time and place of said meeting at least 14 days prior to its occurrence.

G. Areas within parks where pets are permitted and pet-free zones may be designated by appropriate signs, fences, and other devices consistent with the design and aesthetics of the park and the use and enjoyment of the park by all members of the public.

The money is going into the pockets of Hector and Zoe and the Board of Directors. It's a den of liars and thieves. Now the jig is up and it's time to pay the piper. Are you listening board of directors?




Quote:

The Hudson County Animal Response Team works under the auspices of the Hudson County Office of Emergency Management to plan the County's animal response during a disaster.

The next meeting of the Hudson CART will be held on Saturday, January 26th at the Bayonne library at 697 Ave. C at corner of 31st. street. It will begin at 1:00 and will last approximately one hour. There is a small municipal parking lot behind the library on 31st street.

The focus of the meeting will be Hudson County rescue organizations, MOUs, survey distribution, and we will hopefully finalize our volunteer application.

You do not have to be a CART member to come to the meeting. All pet owners and members of the rescue community are invited.

If you cannot attend the meeting but would like more information on how you can help the animal welfare community better prepare for a disaster in your area, please email ndawson03@aol.com or joanna22@comcast.net.

Permission to cross-post.

Correction. This is the DOGJC yahoo page:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/DOGJC/



Quote:

There is a grassroots group beginning to form to discuss what we as a community can do to get the SPCA Board to improve conditions as well as to make it become a more fiscally responsible non profit.

Go to Dogjc@yahoogroups.com to learn more.

This is the link to the official state report made in 2003 on the conditions of the NJ state SPCAs. Hudson County was one of the worst.

You can do a "find" search using the word Hudson.

http://www.state.nj.us/sci/pdf/spca.pdf

At that time it was learned the Hudson County SPCA has a million dollars in investments. Where is that money now?

Animals adopted from the shelter are not spayed or neutered while the adoption fees are around $250. The animals are not vetted and medicated if sick. The SPCA collects fees from all the municipalities that it contracts with so WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING Hector?

It is time for the public to demand that it come clean with its finances and to demand that all animals leaving the shelter be spayed or neutered.

Well said Lindad.

Remember all, you are more likely to be bit by a mosquito carrying West Nile Virus than you are to get bit by a dog - pitbull or otherwise. Please stop the hysteria about pits for crying out loud.

Since I do cat rescue in JC I have used all the area vets including Dr. Rich on Wash. in Hoboken and Dr. Kim in Union city but Westside gets my vote lately.

All cats need to be vaccinated for Panleukopenia (distemper), Calici Virus, Rhinotrachetis, and Chlyamedia.

They do not need vaccinations for Leukemia unless they are sharing food bowls with a FeLV+ cat. Nor do they need an FIV shot. That is passed cat to cat through deep bite wounds.

Try to get away with NOT getting a rabies shot unless you let your cat outdoors. ANd if you live in JC you should NOT be letting your cat outdoors! No need to explain why.

Vets are in business to make money. And they make money each year when you come in for the routine and unneccesary annual vaccination. The thinking these days is we are over vaccinating our pets. (The pharmaceutical companies that make the vaccines have not done any clinical study to show how long the vaccines are effective so they typically say to just do it every year and the vets comply with that recommendation.) Every three years is more the current thinking.

Also it is occuring more frequently that cats are getting sarcoma cancer at the site of the vaccine injection. So the saying holds true - less is more.

The best deal in town is Liberty Humane Society. A female cat spay is $50 and a male neuter is $40.

You could then take the cat to Dr. Kim in Union City Animal Clinic for the vaccination and rabies shots.

Bergen Hill is just a few blocks south of the old Medical Center that is being rehabbed into pricey condos. There are a lot of undervalued brick rowhouses in area that date back to 1880s. There is a strong coalition of neighborhood associations called Bergen Communities United that are working up a "master plan" for the entire area. In addition, the Whitlock Cordage factory now known as WHitlock Mills loft and apartment rentals will be opening in March and is bound to have a positive affect for the area too.

A good point. (Fast eddie is referring to the Chief of Police.)




Quote: