Homeless pets get new families

Published in the Home News Tribune 5/3/04

Animal shelters join to save lives

FRANKLIN: Jeff and Jamie Lurwick drove 77 miles to find a companion for their chow-chow, Cocoa.

The Morton, Pa., couple found another chow-chow at an adoption fair sponsored yesterday by the all-volunteer Second Chance for Animals and Franklin Township Animal Shelter. Cocoa took an immediate liking to her new friend, as yet unnamed, said Jeff Lurwick.

'They are getting along famously,' he said.

This past weekend, PETsMART stores around the country partnered with more than 2,700 humane organizations to host the 'PETsMART Charities Spring Annual Adoption Weekend,' hoping to save the lives of more than 13,000 homeless cats and dogs throughout the nation.

Nine dogs and 22 cats needing homes were at the shelter and PETsMART stores in Union and Bridgewater. By yesterday afternoon, only four animals had been adopted, a decline from previous years, Second Chance's president Nora Breen said.

'It could be that people aren't ready yet,' she said.

Breen said they fared somewhat better with their first walk-a-thon -- 'Three Miles for Four Paws' -- which was also held yesterday and attracted 35 walkers.

'If we got 10 people to walk, that was a great feat for us,' she said. 'We just wanted to raise awareness that there is a shelter here and make people aware of our issues.'

She got involved with Second Chance in 1999 after she saw contact information posted in her veterinarian's office. The volunteer group offers financial support to the animal shelter. It includes 100 members and about 35 core volunteers, she said.

Most recently, the group successfully lobbied the township to expand the shelter. Groundbreaking should be held by the end of the summer, Breen said.

Walker Kaylin DeSantos, 10, said she wanted to do something to help the animal shelter because she adopted her two cats, Wafer and Oreo, from one. Joined by her grandparents, Janet and John DeSantos of Franklin, and mother Erin DeSantos of Hillsborough, the fifth-grader said she usually doesn't walk that far.

'It was good exercise. It almost makes you feel stronger,' Kaylin said.

For more information about Second Chance, contact Breen at (732) 748-7232.

Raven Hill: (732) 565-7263; rhill@thnt.com

Copyright 2004 Home News Tribune.