On July 13 volunteers from the Old Bridge Animal Shelter and other animal lovers met at the Old Bridge Library to give support for the animal shelter. Information leaked from Mayor Jim Phillips office prompted the meeting.
The leak was the Mayor's office planned to combine the shelter with other such services with neighboring towns.This 25 year old shelter had alot of supporters who adopted animals over the years. These people formed "Friends of the shelter".
A large group attended the town meeting on July 17,2006. Prior to the meeting Mayor Phillips approached me as I told me I was the spokeperson. After telling him I would make a statement representing the group, the town council asked me to make the statement early on the agenda. Following my statement, Mayor Phillips adamently denied all rumors. His second in command Jacobs, personally walked over to me and said to call him in the morning.
After I spoke, our group went out into the hallway followed by Mayor Phillips. He stood there and discussed varying points of view, his and ours. He assured everyone nothing would change. He repeated what he said earlier during the session, an expansion was palnned.
I called Jacobs office for three days before he returned my phone call. He faxed me a copy of the budget. I received this information on Friday July 21,2005.
It is August 25 and much has not happened in the last month. The Mayors office forbid the shelter to work with me. I was the delegated spokesperson and Jim Phillips obviously didn't want to deal with me. It was mentioned I did not live in Old Brigde. Apparently Phillips and Jacobs never heard of the Peace Corp.
Instead the Mayor gave the animal shelter a liason person of his chosing. To date the "Friends group" has prepared an exapnsion plan and other ideas. I called Jacobs several times and he never returned the phone call. Apparently, the Mayors concern during the town council meeting was to get good publicity for the TV and the Suburban. The article written about the meeting was entitled "Mayor Quells Rumors"
The disregard the mayor and Jacobs has shown for our volunteer group is clear. The volunteers will not ignore the Mayors disinterest in open dialogue. Instead we will build a coalition.
Mayor Jim Phillips is out of touch with the "animal loving people". In Holmdel, NJ, war dog memorial was recently unveiled. Holmdel is honoring those dogs who served in Worl War 1 and World War 11.
New York hospitals are organizing programs for people cant take take of their animals because they are in the hospital.The Patient Pet Care program is designed for animal owners. It's a first in the US.
The Old Bridge center is only alive and running due to the volunteers. There is only one staff person to handle 70-90 animals. If she gets sick, the animals can starve. The shelter is small and overcrowded. There are no sterile rooms, no office no reception area, no place for a family to play with an animal and dangerous conditions for the animals.
Jim PHillips is treating the shelter like the elderly programs years ago. The elderly were in horrible conditions. The public became aware and there is now more accountibility.
The growing love of animals and the "birth" of the acceptance of animals as family members is apparent. Mayor Phillips and deputy Jacobs were not sincere. They followed up the initial meeting by trying to put a wedge between the volunteer group and the animal shelter. In a time where other towns in NJ are building momuments, the Mayor is allowing for inhumane conditions for these animals.
Whatever the reason, it is not going unnoticed. The shelter has more cats than dogs. Perhaps the most telling comment the Mayor made after the town council meeting was he did not like cats. Thankfully he appears to like dogs. Why mention this to a group who loves all animals.
Regardless of the reason, the Mayor severed the ties with the "Friends group". I ask and we ask the public to join in the discussion to build a better shelter in Old Bridge.
evie litwok/ tippy/ the tippy story/ for "Friends of the shelter"
