Council will monitor cat colony before decision

Animal activists have until July before council decides cats’ future

BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

Published 5/6/04 in the The North South Brunswick Sentinel

NORTH BRUNSWICK — If normal cats have nine lives, resident Debbie DeHaven’s cats have 12.

For almost 10 years, DeHaven has cared for a population of homeless, feral cats living in the woods behind the Route 1 Ramada Inn. She pioneered a mission to remove more than 200 of the cats from the area safely, and to find them good homes.

Now DeHaven may have until July 1 to remove the last 20 to 30 cats before the township takes over trapping and removing the animals.

"If the township comes in here, the cats will get scared and run, and we will never catch them," DeHaven said. "If they can trap them, they will ship them to Blumig Kennels, where within seven days, the cats will be killed."

In honor of her mother, DeHaven vowed to work with the colony until all of the cats were safely removed.

She discovered the colony on the Christmas Day after her mom passed away.

"I saw a mother cat and her newborn kittens lying in the snow," DeHaven said. "Finding them gave me a good reason to get up every morning at a time when I didn’t feel like doing anything."

The township knew DeHaven cared for the animals for several years, according to Township Business Administrator Robert Lombard.

When residents complained in 2003 about stray cats in a nearby housing development, officials chose not to initiate the immediate removal of all of the cats in the colony.

Instead, the township gave DeHaven a chance to manage the colony down to 25 cats.

If DeHaven met the goal, the township would allow her to experiment with keeping some cats on the land.

DeHaven and Animal Lifesavers Pet Adoption Inc. removed more than 200 cats from the woods, according to Animal Lifesavers’ bills and documents.

Animal Lifesavers of South River is a group of volunteers dedicated to the humane treatment of animals.

Since getting involved, Animal Lifesavers has spent more than $25,000 helping DeHaven remove, vaccinate, neuter and arrange for the adoption of the felines.

The township is aware of Animal Lifesavers’ efforts in providing care for the cats.

"These people devote incredibly long hours in caring for these animals," Lombard said. "Volunteers nurse sick cats and newborn kittens in their homes. I applaud them and hope they will continue here and elsewhere in the township."

Lombard said the township wants the cats removed because of residents’ complaints.

"In the last six months, the township received complaints from four different residents about cats in this area," he said.

The township "took resident complaints on faith" and "cannot prove the cats came from the colony," Lombard said.

Lombard also said that informal counts by the township’s animal control officer estimate a population of 40-plus felines, whereas DeHaven and her group estimate a population of 25.

The township also has concern for the animals in light of a new development starting at the other end of the property the cats live on, Lombard said.

"With the new construction separating the colony from the development, I think the cats would be frightened to roam over there," DeHaven said.

Janice Angelillo, an animal rights activist who has volunteered to help DeHaven with the colony for the last year, said, "Cats are territorial and stay where they are provided for and where they can provide for the others in the group."

Animal Lifesavers feeds the animals twice a day and has provided small houses for the cats to take shelter in.

DeHaven said she visits the colony every day.

Resident Irene von Sedywitz, a neighbor of DeHaven’s, said she visited the colony and found it clean and the cats "beautiful and healthy."

"Debbie is dedicated," she said. "When the streets aren’t even plowed yet during a snowstorm, she’s at the colony shoveling for the cats. She sacrifices so much to take care of a problem that would otherwise cost taxpayers money."

DeHaven said she just wants a chance to finish her job.

"When I read the newspaper headline that said my cats are on their ninth life, I thought we still have a chance. Cats have 12 lives," DeHaven said.

DeHaven said she was so tired from worrying about the colony all night that she was not thinking correctly.

"I just won’t be able to sleep until all of my cats get out safely to good homes and I can move on to helping somewhere else," DeHaven said.

The felines might just survive the July 1 deadline set by the administration as the Township Council has yet to vote on the matter.

In light of letters from residents in the surrounding area attesting that the cats do not present a problem, and a group of people who came out to voice their support for DeHaven on Monday night, council President Carlo Socio said the council will have to monitor the colony project before voting on the deadline.

"The council has not made a final decision to hold firm the deadline," Socio said. "We want to allow Animal Lifesavers the opportunity to make a difference."

Socio said the council will require weekly updates from Animal Lifesavers through June.

"This is not a done deal," Councilman Adam Weiss added.

"Thank you," DeHaven said to the council. "Maybe I can sleep tonight."

Copyright 2004 Greater Media Newspapers.