By Brenda Flanagan

Correspondent

Shelter means safe sanctuary. Rescuers and volunteers who witnessed and described the agony endured by dogs and cats in the Helmetta Animal Shelter called it a “hellhole.”

“It was disgusting on the inside. There was feces and urine in the cages. Most of times the animals didn’t have food or water. It stunk,” said shelter volunteer Collene Wronko.

“Once I saw a dead cat in a cage. Another time they actually gave us a dead kitten with her siblings and mother in a carrier — told us she came pre-packaged — had been in the shelter for two days without ever being taken out and fed and watered,” said Jackie Callan of Homeless Animal Lifeline.

Callan runs a rescue group that regularly pulled cats from Helmetta.

“I knew with the shelter directors, if you said anything you wouldn’t be allowed to go in and pull animals to rescue so you just keep your mouth shut,” Callan said.

But someone complained, people protested and after two inspections and dire warnings, the county health department placed the shelter under strict quarantine and the NJSPCA finally issued an ultimatum: relinquish control or get sued. That’s when rescue groups swooped in to help.

“And there was no cat food or litter in the whole shelter for 170 cats,” said Callan. “We got everybody cleaned out, fed and watered them. I’ve never heard cats that frantic before — ever.”

The SPCA says several cats had to be euthanized, and at least one cat died. Necropsy results are still pending. Its letter to the borough cites “lack of cleaning cages, basic feeding, co-mingling sick and healthy animals, insufficient vet care, animals thin or emaciated, need for emergency vet care for some extremely sick animals, all of a very disturbing nature and require immediate attention.”

We spoke with the new interim administrator, formerly an intern at Helmetta, who says the animals are fine and will be given to rescue groups.

Matt Crane said, “Yes I did. And we were on them for cleaning and getting procedures down, so I dunno. What else do you want me to tell you?” When asked to recognize the fact it was poorly managed, the animals were hurting and they were dying, he said, “So this is what I walked in to. I dunno.”

New Jersey’s got 107 registered animal shelters. Normally, they get annual inspections from the local health department. At Helmetta, the SPCA reports it’s vetted and certified 75 percent of the cats since Thursday — 73 percent of the dogs — and says they will be available for adoption soon. Wronko rescued her puppy, Harley, from Helmetta in April.

“My puppy had four types of worms,” she said. “She had a bunch of other things. She needed a blood transfusion. I had her six days. It cost me $4,000.”

One woman desperately seeking her cat couldn’t enter during the quarantined facility and yelled through the door.

“I swear to God, the cat is still alive.”

The dogs and cats locked in cages here do make a lot of noise. The irony is that they have no real voice. People decide how they live, and how they die.

Follow @FlanaganNJTV

