Animal shelter sees fewer calls for ‘Furever’ homes

Gunner remains a valued member of her owner Hilary Cohen’s family. (Photo courtesy of Hilary Cohen)

TOMS RIVER — An eight-year-old puppy named Gunner slipped off his collar minutes after he was adopted from the Toms River Animal Facility in December 2020. His story has a happy ending, unlike some of the many animals rescued during the pandemic.

Local resident Hilary Cohen has found herself with more time at home due to the enactment of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions. An animal lover since childhood, Cohen decided to make an appointment at the municipal animal shelter with the intention of providing a forever home.

“I used to travel a lot for work and wasn’t around enough for a pet,” Cohen explained. “I was living with my mother during the pandemic. I knew that even if I had to go somewhere, someone would always be there.

Cohen actually grew up with big dogs and refers to Gunner as a real little badass, who weighs all sixteen pounds. Not everyone is out to rescue older dogs, which gave Cohen even more reason to give Gunner a home. After signing the adoption papers, Cohen went to her aunt’s house to introduce her new companion.

“Five minutes after I adopted him, Gunner slipped his collar off and was on the loose,” Cohen said. “He ran for six days and it seemed like everyone in Toms River was looking for this dog.”

Volunteers from the Toms River Pet Shop alerted the public that they needed help locating Gunner. They suspected the pup was extremely scared and would run away from anyone but someone from the shelter.

Ultimately, Cohen and Gunner were reunited on what turned out to be Gunner’s birthday. The two are now inseparable, although that doesn’t mean the transition was easy and shows the true meaning of unconditional love.

Gunner spent the first five years of his life in a hoarding situation, where he hid buried in couch cushions. An elderly woman then adopted Gunner and brought him back to the shelter when she moved out.

A bulletin board at the Toms River Animal Facility displays recent residents. (Photo courtesy of Crystal Ann Hendricks)

“As far as I’m concerned, Gunner is the best dog in the world,” Cohen boasted. “My family is scared of him. He’s very aggressive when it comes to protecting our home and me. He bites and lunges, and as cute as he is, he’s a bit scary.

There is no doubt that Gunner’s past trauma has created problems similar to those experienced by abused or abandoned children. Cohen set Gunner up with dog training and agreed with his vet to put him on a dog Prozac regimen. Now that Cohen is back at work, she also uses the services of Crystal Ann Hendricks, a pet breeder, who works as a kennel attendant at Toms River Animal Facility.

“Of the three coaches I worked with Gunner, one told me I should take him back to the shelter,” Cohen admitted. “Another told me 95% of people would have fired him.”

“To me, an animal is part of your family, whether you like it or not,” Cohen continued. “That doesn’t happen.”

Cohen’s attitude may well be the exception, as confirmed by observations made at the refuge.

Hendricks started out at the local animal shelter as a volunteer before getting her job as a part-time kennel attendant.

“I started as a volunteer when COVID first hit,” Hendricks said. “The establishment then arrested the volunteers because we were not allowed to enter the building. I started my work there in August last year.

“We’ve definitely had a roller coaster ride, starting with an influx of adoptions,” Hendricks continued. “Everyone was out of work; they had the time and wanted the pets.

At one point, the shelter only had five or six dogs up for adoption. The number has already increased to an average of 16 to 18 dogs as people return or abandon rescued animals during the pandemic.

“We just started finding loose, stray and abandoned dogs,” Hendricks explained. “A lot of people came in and had to return their dogs because they had gone back to work and didn’t want them to be left alone in the house for fifteen hours.”

Toms River Pet Shop is unique in many ways. First, they are one of only four in the state to be operated by a municipality.

Crystal Ann Hendricks cuddles a little bunny who was at the shelter last summer. (Photo courtesy of Crystal Ann Hendricks)

The building not only provides shelter for cats and dogs, but also for other animals, such as rabbits. If a squirrel is injured in Toms River, local authorities transport it here for rescue.

“We also don’t euthanize animals without a medical reason,” Hendricks said. “For example, we recently shot a small cockapoo that was suffering from severe kidney failure.”

Some of the animals that end up in the shelter are abandoned because of their physical illnesses. Not all owners are upfront with the establishment and admit that their animals suffer from an illness. They may be embarrassed that they cannot afford medical treatment.

Hendricks says she cries tears of joy every time an animal leaves with the hope of a “forever” home.

“We sent home a pit bull today that had been with us for just over eight months,” Hendricks explained. “Graham had a meeting the day before and his owners were eager to bring him home.”

Those interested in adopting an animal should contact the shelter to make an appointment by calling 732-341-1000 ext. 8450. The facility is located at 235 Oak Avenue and is open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

About Chuck Keeton

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