Bergen County Holds Clear the Shelters Campaign

TETERBORO, NJ - Nine-year-old Jacob Joana could barely contain his excitement as he clutched a small cardboard crate with soft meows coming from inside.

"I wanted to have a best friend in the house, so this is going to be my best friend now," Jacob said of his new kitten, Oreo, as he walked to the car with his family.

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Jacob and his grandparents were among several hundred people who visited the Bergen County Animal Shelter & Adoption Center during their weekend push of the Clear the Shelters campaign, according to Bob Bergamini, manager of the shelter in Teterboro, NJ.

"We have this event because our shelters are pretty full right now," said Germaine Ortiz, chairwoman of the Board of Commissioners of Bergen County. "This weekend we're inviting everyone to come into the county and adopt our furry babies. We're waiving the fees and giving every opportunity to come and adopt our dogs and cats."

For the weekend promotion, August 24 and 25, not only were the adoption fees of $100 to $130 waived, but every pet was updated on their vaccinations. They're microchipped and spayed or neutered before they go home, according to Bergamini.

"It's a value of over $1,000 at the vet, especially with vet costs that keep rising and rising," said Bergamini. "We have 95 cats, 60 dogs, and eight rabbits for adoption. Our mission is to get as many as we can adopted."

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By the end of the first day, the shelter had approved 32 adoptions, 25 cats and seven dogs. One of the cats went home with 16-year-old Amelia.

"I just held her and started crying. I was sobbing really," she said of her new kitten she named Bean. "She's just so cuddly."

Outside, Willie Diaz's family was falling in love with a friendly Golden Labrador Retriever. "We hope to add another member to the family today," he said. "We had a dog previously, and it passed away about a month ago. When we saw this advertisement, we thought we would come on by."

Nearby, his 13-year-old daughter, Jenny, hugged the dog like it was hers already. "We lost one around a month ago, and we realized that a dog brings happiness into our home. We miss that comfort and the playfulness about it. We just miss it so much," Jenny said. "She's beautiful, and she's really cute. I love her so much," she said of the lab. "She's so playful. She looks trainable, too. She loves the food and the treats," Jenny continued to gush.

Beramini said that families who want to adopt pets have to fill out an application. "We check their references, and if there is an existing dog in the home, they have to bring it in to meet the new pet," he said.

The free adoptions lasted Aug. 24-25, but the Clear the Shelters campaign continues into September. "The campaign is actually from August 10th to September 10th, but this is our big push weekend," he said. "I hope everyone adopts a furry baby today and that we empty our shelters," said Commissioner Ortiz. "That would be definitely our goal for today and tomorrow."

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