Brooklawn: Furrever Friends to fight their case in court
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Dear Editor:
The Borough of Brooklawn is about to embark on an injustice
to their citizens by: Spending thousands of tax dollars to protect a USELESS
law Pushing out a non-profit animal rescue that has been providing FREE
humane animal welfare services to their residents for years
Assuring that
MORE stray animals will walk their streets Setting a precedent that “no good
deed is unpunished”
Residents of Brooklawn: your voice is needed to STOP
this ridiculous, ego-driven controversy. Only YOU can stop this waste of money,
effort, and time on the part of your town council.
Last week, Furrever
Friends (FFRV) was featured on FOX and Channel 3 News regarding the rescue of a
mother cat and her 3 kittens; they were found hogtied, in a knotted trash bag,
in a dumpster in Brooklawn, NJ. Last year, they instructed the wife of a
Council Member how to bottle fed several litters of orphaned kittens found in
Brooklaw; In Nov, they intook a cat from the son of a Brooklawn Council
member...only to be stiffed a promised donation. The Brooklawn Office gives out
FFRV's information to their residents calls came in regarding strays.
YET - Brooklawn continues to harass and threaten to fine FFRV foster
volunteer, Jen Smith, because her RESCUED animals are over their "pet limit" of
three. She is going to Municipal Court AGAIN on February 12th, and as she was
warned, could be fined for each and every day she is breaking this "law". The
case will also be heard in Superior Court on March 11th. Keep in mind that FFRV
is a strongly supported rescue in Southern NJ, and has full support of the
Camden County Animal Shelter, Almost Home Shelter, Society to Protect Animals,
Save the Animals Foundation and the Animal Welfare Assocation.
It is
amusing that this pet limit law...put into place to protect animals...is now
being used to hinder, demean and punish an organization that rescues more
animals in Brooklawn then their useless pet limit law possibly
could.
This constant treat from Brooklawn has forced Furrever Friends to
take this matter to a higher court. Rather then work TOGETHER to find a
solution, Brooklawn is going to spend tax payers' money for a multiple day
Superior Court case so the town may have the right to force YOU to give up a pet
IF they see fit! The rescue, in fact, has now shut down all intake of new
animals so the volunteers can concentrate on the legal battle before them. What
a horrible shame.
Do Brooklawn Residents want:Brooklawn to spend $10k
or more of your money to protect a law that doesn't work? Brooklawn to have
the right to force you to give up a pet DESPITE that you are a picture perfect
guardian?
MORE strays to walk your steets? (If you do not like animals, that
is even MORE of a reason to endorse the volunteer efforts of Furrever
Friends!)
To read what Pet Limits REALLY accomplish (nothing!) compared
to what ENFORCED nuisance laws do...or to adopt one of Jen Smith's foster
animals before Brooklawn orders her to toss them out...see the Furrever Friends
website. FFRV.PETFINDER.ORG
Your time in reading this is
appreciated.
Jen Andersch, FFRV Volunteer
Woodbury, NJ