Former pumping station to become animal shelter Officials say station will be renovated into state-of-the-art shelter BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer WOODBRIDGE - The homeless animals of Woodbridge may soon be able to call the former Sewaren pumping station at 189 Woodbridge Ave. home. "I never thought I could be this happy," said Marge Petrow, who received a phone call from Mayor John E. McCormac about two weeks ago informing her that the township reached a decision for the public animal shelter. "I'm just thrilled because this will be the first public animal shelter in Woodbridge." The mayor along with township officials announced on June 12 to a crowd of 20 or so animal advocates, who have been pushing for a public animal shelter for the past five years, that a new, modern and fully equipped animal shelter and pet adoption center would be situated in a township-owned building in Sewaren and that the state-of-the-art facility would provide a safe and comfortable haven for the care and housing of abandoned animals. "This building was kind of just there," said McCormac, who said township officials zeroed in on the former pumping station, which was built in the 1940s and has been abandoned for 12-years, two months ago. "It is perfect. It has rock-solid walls and a roof. It gives us a real heck of a head start." The news brought ear-to-ear grins among the residents who have come to many Township Council meetings seeking updates on the public animal shelter that has been promised for the past five years. "I didn't think I would see this day come," said Petrow. "My dream became a reality." Carole Mayti, who was informed of the news on June 8, said she was overwhelmed. "I am now confident that the animals will be safe and secure," she said. "This proves that some battles are worth fighting. It's been a long time." McCormac said they visited the animal shelter in Passaic, which was retrofitted into an animal shelter. "Their plans were in line with just what we wanted to do," he said. McCormac, who said township officials looked at several buildings - some were private lease options and others were township-owned buildings - around the township, said he was ready to announce plans for the new animal shelter two months ago, but township officials hit a snag in their plans. "We found an underground tank," he said. "It took a while to remove it, but thank God it was not a leaker." The 2,500-square-foot facility provides a solid foundation and structure for the construction of the animal shelter and would be fully renovated to provide clean, comfortable, and humane conditions for dogs, cats and other animals that require care and housing. The existing building allows for potential future expansion and would be renovated utilizing available energy-saving and environmental-friendly materials and concepts. Township officials also said the facility would meet or exceed state and health department regulations. The construction plans include installation of 17 individual dog kennels with extended indoor/outdoor runs; an oversize area for cats that will have individual cages for each feline; separate, fully ventilated dog and cat quarantine areas; a private animal receiving area equipped with cleaning facilities; a prep room where the incoming animals would be examined prior to housing; a private veterinary care clinic where animals would be examined and treated; and a laundry for cleaning blankets and kennel wraps. A unique and special feature is the inclusion of a large, public area where families could greet and interact with pets prior to adoption. Township Health Director Dennis Green said he would like to bring in a veterinarian once or twice a week to care for the animals, but said plans have not been finalized. McCormac said his goal from the start was to "not let the animals spend another winter" in the current 30-by-40-foot shelter in Sewaren that sits near old tank farms and a defunct arsenic-producing chemical plant. The shelter was supposed to be a temporary fix five years ago, until the township could build a new shelter. "It's because of the passion of the people that we reached this great result," said McCormac. "We hope to get a bid by August 1 and start construction, which will probably bring us into December. I don't want these animals to go through another winter; we will do the best we can, weather permitting." For the past five years, residents have been waiting for the much-needed public animal shelter to be built for the homeless animals of Woodbridge Township. In September 2006, bids had gone out to build a state-of-the-art animal shelter behind the township health center; however, the bids had come in too high. The lowest bid received in September 2006 was $1.046 million. The highest bid was $1.2 million, officials said. Township officials in 2004 estimated that constructing a new shelter would cost $350,000, and later, after extensive, in-depth research, decided to allocate approximately $750,000 for the animal shelter, which officials have said would include 18 dog runs, 40 to 50 spaces for cats, temporary cages and storage facilities. Township officials had conversations with Dr. Barry Adler, the co-owner of the Iselin Veterinary Hospital and staff veterinarian and director of the Woodbridge Veterinary Group, to lease space from him for a public shelter in the basement of the former Adath Israel Synagogue on Route 35. However, in February, after an uproar from animal advocates who said the synagogue was not the best place for the animals, township officials announced that they would not pursue the idea to lease space from Adler for the public animal shelter, but at that moment said they still believed the decision with Adler was the best idea that they had. From that point on, township officials were working on awarding a competitive contract of $22,300 for architectural services, which was awarded to Michael V. Testa of Manalapan on April 10 to conduct a feasibility study of various vacant buildings in the township for the shelter. Testa prepared a feasibility report and provided preliminary architectural construction blueprints of the Sewaren facility. The current 30-by-40-foot shelter houses cats and dogs in close quarters with one another. In addition to the Sewaren facility, the township has also paid $38,100 a year to house four dogs and 15 cats in a 10-by-15-foot space in the office of Iselin veterinarian Ira Niedweski for more than four years. The township also spends an additional $12,000 a year on medical treatment for the animals. Township officials said the estimated cost for renovating and outfitting the Sewaren facility ranges from $437,500 to $450,000, which is well below the existing budget allotment of more than $640,000. Township officials held a spaghetti dinner on April 15 to kick-start the township's fundraising efforts for the shelter. Almost $6,000 was raised. "The money will be used for anything the shelter may need," said McCormac. For more information on plans for the new animal shelter visit the township Web site at www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us.