Most of the people who flooded La Reggia in Secaucus for the recent “Dancing with the Stars” fundraiser probably didn’t know the difference between a salsa and merengue, two popular ballroom dancing styles. But it didn’t matter. They were there for a good cause.
Hosted by the Citizens Animal Care Committee, the Nov. 12 event attracted nearly 200 attendees who collectively raised more than $7,100 for the Secaucus Animal Shelter.
Since the beginning of the year the recently formed committee has been working to both improve animal welfare at the municipally-run facility and increase its visibility among residents.
“Dancing with the Stars,” which brought professional ballroom dancers to town to perform and teach some fancy footwork to residents, was the committee’s biggest fundraiser for the shelter to date.
Most of the money raised will be used to convert a storage area into a second cat room.
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“We didn’t know what to expect,” she added. “This is the first time anybody has done anything for the shelter like this. So we were just winging it. We’re thrilled it turned out so well.”
Attendees paid $40 to attend the event, which included food, dancing, dance instruction, and music. Additional money was raised through two raffles.
Students from Secaucus High School also raised $450 for the event through a recent “black T-shirt day.”
SHS teacher Amanda Prieto, who presented the students’ donation at La Reggia, explained that students who donated $1 for the shelter were allowed to forego the usual school uniform for one day and were instead allowed to don black t-shirts.
Cat room coming for ‘tweens’
O’Connell said most of the money raised from the event will be used to convert a storage area into a second cat room for the shelter’s feline “tweener” population, those cats that are no longer kittens, but aren’t yet seniors.
She noted that kittens at the shelter get adopted quickly, but adult cats – even young adults that are only 8 or 9 months old – are less likely to be placed. While the shelter already includes a cat room for the shelter’s oldest cats, the “tweener” population, O’Connell said, often get left in individual cages.
“They’re in there by themselves,” she stated. “They have no socialization. It’s a boring life. We want to give them their own room so we can get them out of those cages so they can have a life.”
The senior cat room was already expanded earlier this year using money from private donations.
Donations from residents and local companies also help cover necessary supplies (i.e., food, litter, toys, etc.) at the shelter. Just days after the “Dancing with the Stars” fundraiser, for example, Ernst & Young gave the shelter a number of supplies and an $800 contribution.
Cute photos, better hours, more adoptions
As of Wednesday, the shelter had five dogs and 45 cats – of all ages – available for adoption, according to Ed McClure, who runs the facility.
Because the shelter is a “no kill” facility, it can quickly get overrun with animals, especially at a time when many pet owners are giving up animals they can no longer afford. Thus, members of the Secaucus Citizens Animal Care Committee have ramped up efforts to place animals in loving homes.
“Dancing with the Stars” featured a slideshow of the 50 animals available for adoption. The show was put together by event co-chair Marlene Prieto. Prieto has spearheaded an effort to take cute and loving photos of the shelter animals, then post them on Petfinder.com.
“The pictures really help to ‘sell’ them,” Prieto noted.
Plans are also in the works to extend the shelter’s hours. Currently, during the week, the facility closes at 3 p.m., when many people are still at work. Although weekend hours are available, O’Connell said evening hours during the week are needed so more adoptive families can visit with prospective pets.
Mayor Michael Gonnelli said last week that he will propose a plan to the council to stagger staffing hours at the shelter include evening work shifts.
Eventually, O’Connell said the committee would like to increase its dog runs.
The shelter, at 525 Meadowlands Parkway, can be reached at (201) 348-3213.
E-mail E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.