26/02/2025
The following statement was issued to the Montclair Local when asked to respond to the town's denial of the sale or closure of the shelter building. The rumors aside, destructive changes have been, and continue to be made to the shelter since early 2024, which shelter stakeholders outlined in multiple memos to the town manager and council. For a copy of those memos, please DM any of the signatories to the statement.
"The Montclair Township Animal Shelter plays a crucial role in serving the community’s animal-loving residents while saving lives. Following a devastating fire a decade ago, the shelter was rebuilt into a model institution that saves countless animals, matches people with pets and functions as a vital community center. The shelter provides volunteer opportunities for senior citizens, students, and individuals with disabilities, while also offering essential services such as a pet food pantry for those in need, surrender prevention programs, and children’s reading initiatives. Unfortunately, several of these services have recently been scaled back or eliminated, including the Friends of the Montclair Township Animal Shelter (FOMTAS)-funded transfer program, which brought adoptable animals from high-kill shelters and rescues to Montclair for rehoming.
While we are not aware of plans to sell or repurpose the Montclair Township Animal Shelter, we acknowledge and appreciate the strong community support expressed on social media and at recent town hall meetings. Major changes, including reductions in shelter staff, programs, and resources instituted by Town Manager Lapolla have understandably caused public outrage and concern about the future of the shelter. As long-time Montclair residents and leaders of animal welfare organizations that have provided long-standing substantial financial and operational support to the shelter, we share these concerns. We have tried for the better part of a year to address the following with Mr. Lapolla and his shelter supervisor designees:
-Removal of Shelter Director Liz Morgan from key decision-making.
-Exclusion of Dr. Houston, the shelter’s veterinarian of record, from decisions regarding functions governed by her veterinary license.
-Staff reductions that have strained the shelter’s ability to maintain essential services and overburdened remaining staff.
-Termination of the life-saving transfer program.
-The administrative shift of shelter oversight from the health department, where it has been housed for over a decade, to the town administrator, Norma Tassey.
We welcome the recent formation of a dedicated subcommittee within the Montclair Town Council, led by Mayor Baskerville and including Council Members Birmingham and Shin Anderson, to address these issues. We have met with them and appreciate their commitment and support. Moving forward, we believe the establishment of a working committee, composed of a council designee and experienced shelter stakeholders, will be critical in addressing these pressing issues and ensuring the shelter’s future success.
We are encouraged by the appointment of a new town manager. We are hopeful the manager will work swiftly and collaboratively to restore the shelter to full capacity, ensuring it thrives once again. The animal-loving public of Montclair and all who rely on the shelter’s vital programs, clearly expect no less. Innocent animals who rely on us for their very lives deserve even more."
Annette Batson, Founder, Humane Montclair; Member, FOMTAS Board of Trustees
Elizabeth Houston, DVM, Montclair Township Animal Shelter Veterinarian of Record
Karen Sacks, Esq., President, Friends of the Montclair Township Animal Shelter
FOMTAS provides financial support to help homeless animals in Montclair, NJ and surrounding towns
