‘Critters’ need care in winter

By Paul Greulich, Staff Writer
In the dead of winter, when most people are concentrating on keeping themselves and their families warm and fed, it can be easy to forget there are many animals without owners and in need of the same necessities.
Union County’s animal shelters and animal control facilities typically experience a slowdown in the rate of adoption during the winter months, resulting in a risk of overcrowding.
Carla Prince, a member of the Friends of Linden Animal Shelter’s executive committee, said the facility tends to see a drop in adoptions during the winter months.
“Usually we see a little bit of a slowdown on adoption of dogs,” she said.
Prince said this could be because the winter months offer little opportunity to engage in the outdoor activity that is part of the responsibility and fun of owning a dog.
The Friends of Linden Animal Shelter, one of the county’s largest facilities, currently houses seven dogs and about 50 cats, as well as more animals in outside foster homes.
The shelter averages two dog adoptions each week. Many cat adoptions occur at off-site locations such as the Pet Smart store in Union.
Pet Smart Operations Manager Mike Gorga said this partnership has been fruitful, with the Union branch of Pet Smart seeing particular success.
“I believe we lead our district most of the time in weekly, monthly and total adoptions,” he said.
The district encompasses a total of 12 stores in the Northeast New Jersey area.
Gorga said that the exception to the winter slump in adoptions is Christmas, when many cats become gifts.

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