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Jackson sanctuary offers families temporary pet housing

By KEITH RUSCITTI, TOMS RIVER BUREAU, from the Web, August 22, 2009

When home foreclosures spiked nationwide last summer, the human toll was obvious.

Laura Pople read those foreclosure stories, of families being uprooted and forced to relocate. She read stories about sheriffs finding family pets being left behind and abandoned with the homes.

Statistics showed animal shelters being overburdened and spikes in animals being euthanized.

Pople, a social psychologist and a longtime animal-rights organizer, wanted to do her part to help address the problem.

Putting her fundraising skills and two decades' worth of organizational experience to work, Pople designed a plan to establish an animal sanctuary to temporarily house pets until families in distress re-establish their roots.

The nonprofit animal sanctuary, Seer Farms, opened in January along West Veterans Highway. It is the only sanctuary of its kind in the state and along the Mid-Atlantic region, according to Pople.

"I wanted to help families that were going through a life crisis, who had pets, but no way to care for them," said Pople, executive director of the foundation.

The sanctuary is on a 3-acre lot surrounded by woods and a small church in the rear. The animals, predominantly cats and dogs, receive 24-hour care by an on-site caretaker, a part-time employee and a number of volunteers.

Seer Farms is different than an animal shelter in that most of the animals are dropped off by families who plan to eventually reunite with them. Farm officials will sign a contract with the pet owner to hold the pet for one, three or six months while assuming practically all of the animal's expenses and medical needs. The owner, as is often the case, returns regularly for visits.

"We only ask for a minimum of a $10 donation to the farm," Pople said.

Some volunteers travel more than an hour to help at Seer Farms. Volunteers are a necessity, because the operation is run on shoestring budget, with about $155,000 allocated annually. That amount includes the monthly mortgage payment, food and insurance costs, according to Pople.

Rose Ivak of North Brunswick was the first client of Seer Farms when the facility took care of her six cats for a short time earlier this year. Since then, Ivak has been a regular at the sanctuary, volunteering to care for other pets.

"I was going through a hard time," said Ivak, a school bus driver. "Now I volunteer all day because I believe in (the sanctuary). Calls come in every day, and you realize there are a lot of people going through hard times."

Since the original business plan was conceived, the farm has expanded its criteria and now receives pets from people involved in domestic disputes and natural disasters, military families, and seniors or disabled individuals who no longer can care for the animals properly.

"It's an emotional experience when the pets are dropped off by families and when they come back for a visit," Pople said. "These animals are like family members to most of their owners."

Additional Facts

BEHIND THE NEWS

Seer Farms is a nonprofit animal sanctuary formed to care for family pets on a short-term basis. The 3-acre farm is overseen by a diverse eight-member board of directors. Board members include a rabbi, a venture capitalist, animal-rights advocates and business executives. The farm receives its funds and equipment through grants, donations and fundraising. The farm currently cares for 16 dogs, about 80 cats and a rabbit. For more information, e-mail info@seerfarms.org or call 732-928-1804.