H I S T O R Y O F W M A S S
The West Milford Animal Shelter Society, Inc. (WMASS) is a 100% volunteer organization. It was formed in 1976 out of a desperate need to establish an adoption program at the W.M. Animal Shelter, a municipal facility. From 1976 through 1993, the WMASS worked alongside the township-employed animal control officers (ACOs) and assisted with the operation of the shelter. The WMASS grew larger and more & more professional as each year passed.
In 1994, the WMASS entered into a contract with the township. Under the terms of the contract, the WMASS has complete & full authority to operate the animal shelter facility, provided State and local laws and guidelines are followed. Within a few short years, the WMASS quickly became renown as a top-quality and very unique animal shelter. Indeed, in 1997, the WMASS was the topic of a feature article in a national magazine, the ASPCAs Animal Watch Magazine, as a spotlight on animal shelters. Since the year 2000, the WMASS has been honored with the distinction of being listed as a "Must-See Shelter" in an ASPCA nationally distributed animal shelter handbook. The WMASS is one of only two shelters in New Jersey to receive that distinction from the ASPCA. The ASPCA visits over 150 animal shelters annually nationwide.
The WMASS received that honor for a variety of reasons. First, the WMASS is unique as a municipal shelter which is operated solely by volunteers. Furthermore, the volunteers always provide a high level of care, outstanding veterinary care, and plenty of attention to the animals at the facility. Also, the facility is thoroughly cleaned daily, including the kennels, cages, litter pans, food bowls, and floors. As a municipal facility, the WMASS accepts all animals from its jurisdiction and is unable to pick or choose the age, health, or temperament of its occupants, nor can they refuse entry of the terminally ill or aggressive animals. Yet despite this fact, the WMASS consistently boosts a high adoption rate of 80%, unlike most municipal facilities with under 40% adoption rates. Each and every volunteer at the WMASS is a dedicated individual, generously and selflessly giving of their precious time to staff the shelter 365 days each year.
About 500 cats and 200 dogs arrive annually, seeking shelter, love, attention, and veterinary care from the WMASS. The WMASS also shelters other domestic animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, chinchillas, and birds, as well as injured or orphaned, young wildlife. At any point in time, the shelter houses between 50-100 cats/kittens and about 12 dogs. Due to the consistently high cat population, the WMASS expanded the principal building in 1997. This section of the building is primarily used to house cats. Separate rooms were needed for new arrivals, sick cats, nursing mother cats with kittens, and cats that are ready for adoption. This all takes a tremendous amount of space and time to properly care for and clean after these animals in need. The expansion project of 1997 successfully provided a separate isolation room, nursing area, incoming room, and adoption room for cats. Since the shelter already had a cattery, the WMASS now has two separate areas for adoptable cats...the adoption room, generally used for kittens and recent arrivals, and the cattery, a cageless environment for healthy, adult cats.
In the fall of 2004, the WMASS began its long-awaited kennel renovation project. This project was in the planning and fund-raising stages for over 5 years. With the help of Thomas Hitchins, architect in West Milford, and Phil Luogameno of NorthStar Building Associates, contractor, the construction project is now complete. Over $37,000 had been raised through grants awarded to the WMASS. The balance of the project was funded through the generosity of donations received from supporters and fund-raising events over the last 5 years. This project strictly focused on the dog section of the building. The kennels were over 30 years old and were constructed of chain link fencing and welded steel panels. Over the years, these kennels became unstable and at times, caused injury to the dogs. Although the volunteers took extra care in minimizing the defects of these outdated kennels, nothing could change the fact that they were unsightly, unsafe, and unsanitary. The kennel project expanded the facility so that all dogs now have a larger, more private safe haven to call their temporary home. Constructed of anodized aluminum bars and laminate panels, the kennels offer a larger space, increased privacy, and complete safety for the dogs while providing a facility which prevents any possible cross-contamination of excrements and is easier for the volunteers to thoroughly clean on a daily basis. The kennels are now a state-of-the-art facility. The project also included the addition of two rooms. One room is for desperately needed storage of cleaning materials, bedding, and other supplies needed on a daily basis. The other room is an adoption room, a separate room where persons interested in adopting a dog can get acquainted, or where volunteers can spend quality time with a dog one-on-one, away from the distractions of other animals or inclement weather. We are happy to say that this Kennel project is now complete !
But the volunteers of the WMASS are not willing to stop there. Future plans include the relocation and construction of a new cattery and isolation room. While it served its purpose and is still comfortable for the cats housed there, the cattery is now outdated and in need of many repairs. It is also a free-standing building, making it difficult to present cats to potential adopters, especially in inclement weather. Meanwhile, the isolation room, used to house sick or injured cats until they are healthy or healed, is attached to the building. As a result, air can be shared among the sick and the healthy. Ideally, these two areas would "swap" locations and be rebuilt to accommodate the specific function of these rooms and the resulting necessary changes. Fund-raising and planning is currently underway for this next capital improvements project. Donations are now being accepted for this capital improvements campaign.
Volunteers are always needed! Just a few hours a week can make a huge difference in the lives of these homeless animals. Volunteers give a lot of hard work...but get a lot of bright eyes, love and happy endings. The shelter is open Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, Wednesday evening 7:30 - 9:00 pm and Saturday/Sunday 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. They can be reached at 973-728-2859. Happy Tails!