The City Council dropped Liberty Humane Society as Bayonne’s animal-control services contractor, sparking protest from the organization’s executive director and a well-known city animal-rights advocate.
The council voted 5-0 at its Nov. 10 meeting on the measure to authorize an agreement with New Jersey Animal Control and Rescue of Lodi for animal-control services for a one-year period, beginning on Dec. 1. The contract with the new company is for $87,500.
Liberty Executive Director Irene Borngraeber said she had not been apprised of the change by the city, and was protesting the move because she’d found out through another source.
Borngraeber said the city contracted with her organization in spring 2014 and that its agreement does not expire until next year. She said Liberty Humane had a good record with the city, answering calls, taking in animals, and handling three incidents of pet hoarding.
She also said that Liberty Humane picked up more animals in the city in its first year than had been picked up in the previous three years.
“There are a number of things that are troubling about this proposal,” Borngraeber said.
She questioned the location of New Jersey Animal Control, and how it would respond to a call in Bayonne.
“They are 45 minutes away, on a good day,” she said. “Bayonne residents are far better served by a local provider.”
First Ward Councilman Thomas Cotter explained the change was being made because the city has a problem with wildlife.
“Liberty doesn’t have the facility for, or the program, to respond to this issue,” he said, charging that cats are being attacked or mutilated by raccoons.
“One of our biggest problems right now is wildlife,” Mayor James Davis said on Nov. 13. “It’s raccoons, skunks, and possums. We’re seeing them during the day, when they’re either chased out of their habitat or they’re sick.” He said wild turkeys had also been seen in the city.
Business Administrator Joseph DeMarco said on Nov. 13 that the city had received a “rash of complaints” in the spring and the summer about wild animals.
Liberty defends its policy
New Jersey Animal Rescue deals with these animals, but Liberty Humane will not, according to DeMarco.
“They wouldn’t provide a service that Bayonne residents were demanding,” he said.
But Borngraeber defended her organization’s refusal to catch these types of animals.
“Over the last year, LHS has faced increasing pressure from the city of Bayonne to remove healthy wildlife from municipal and private property and euthanize or relocate them elsewhere,” she said in a statement on Nov. 12. “This is against our animal-control policies, and against best practices.”
“One of our biggest problems right now is wildlife.” – Mayor James Davis
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Borngraeber said Liberty follows New Jersey state guidelines, which allow for the removal of only injured, sick, or dangerous wildlife for rehabilitation or euthanasia. She said healthy wildlife is protected under state law, and that it is “illegal and inhumane” to relocate certain types of wildlife outside the city.
“The Bayonne Municipal Council does not agree with LHS’s wildlife policy and has chosen to contract with a company which will take a different, as yet undocumented approach,” Borngraeber said.
Stray and domestic animal rescue
New Jersey Animal Control will also respond to calls for assistance with stray or injured domestic animals, securing emergency care for them, and housing them.
Kathleen Henderson of West 6th Street, an animal-rights activist with an interest in cats, said that part of the contract concerns her.
“It’s the time, how long will it take them to get here?” she said. “Bayonne needs its own animal- control officer. I’m adamantly opposed to this.”
DeMarco said the new company would have someone in the city so ensure timely responses.
“There’s no maliciousness here,” Davis said. “This is about wildlife.”
Liberty has the animal-control service contracts for Jersey City and Hoboken.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.