Dear Editor:
Little Secaucus is building a new animal shelter with help from Hartz Mountain Industries. Bayonne is preparing to build an animal shelter joining with the Hudson County Animal League in seeking a grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. And what do we have in Jersey City which has the greatest need for a modern new shelter? Nothing. Nothing but promises for over two years from the Mayor and empty “make nice” talk from all the members of the city council. The land promised at Communipaw and Rt 440 has never been dedicated by the city for a new shelter nor has any other suitable land.
Apparently, our city leaders were relieved when Tom Hart took over management of the SPCA (now known as the Assisi Center) and decided the demands for a new shelter would fade away. That hasn’t happened. While Tom Hart has made definite improvements at the Assisi Center, the physical plant is too old and too small to meet the needs of Jersey City’s huge population of abused and abandoned animals produced by an indifferent human culture that supports throw-away animals.
Talk about quality of life issues; Jersey City has a moral obligation to provide suitable land now for a new shelter before all the land is given away to developers. An anonymous promise of $500,000 towards a new shelter was made to one animal organization. The city could get the balance needed from developers who thus far are getting a free ride. We read over and over again how developers consider Jersey City such a hot location. We no longer have to entice them here. So far the developers have given very little back to the city in return for their abatements. The amount needed to build a new modern shelter would be a drop in the bucket compared to the millions of dollars the developers are dealing with every day.
The bottom line? If the Mayor and city council were really sincere about getting a new shelter a way would have been found by now. I wonder what a new administration will bring.
Nikki Sirken