2012 News Archive

11/17/2012
ADOPTION CENTER OPENS!

Our Grand Opening was a huge success, with lots of friends and supporters stopping by to see the new facility and meet the adoptable animals!
Read more

11/16/2012
Paula Johns and Friends to Appear at 5th Annual Merion Inn Jazz Brunch for Animal Outreach, Nov. 25

Paula Johns will perform lead vocals along with Dean Schneider on piano and Grant Avory on drums at the 5th Annual Merion Inn Jazz Brunch to benefit Animal Outreach on Sunday, November 25 from 10:30am to 1:00pm. The trio is paying tribute to George Mesterhazy at the event as well as celebrating the new Animal Outreach Adoption Center at 600 Park Blvd., Unit #3 in West Cape May. To learn more about the brunch or the center, please visit www.aocmc.org or call 609-898-1738. Tickets to the brunch, which will feature hot buffet, cool jazz, cash bar, and great prizes, are $35.

11/5/2012
SNEAK PEEK AT ADOPTION CENTER!

Animal Outreach was to have its Grand Opening of the new Adoption Center at 600 Park Boulevard, #3 on Saturday Nov 3. The space, while extraordinarily well fitted to our needs, still needed some tweaking to outfit it for our use.The work was interrupted by the incredibly rude Sandy, so we were not fully prepared for opening. But - we had mailed 1500 announcement/invitations, so we had to move forward. Once the decision had been made, the team kicked into high gear and it was amazing to see it come together.
The early morning cleaners deserve lots of props for transforming a dusty, tool littered space into a welcoming, friendly--albeit unfinished--place to have a little party. Many thanks to Lori, Shelley, Marianna, Margie, Frank, Charlotte, Chrissie, Randy and Jamie.
A little while later, Janine the Superfoster brought her incredibly adorable kittens and they were set up for visitors in Cat Room 1. Claudine brought her sweet foster doggies Mimi and Mocha and they were made comfy in Cat Room 2. Jimbo, Lobo and Taz were transported by fabulous volunteers Pam, Tom, and Jane. Patricia brought wine, cider, and other goodies, Bitzy added doughnuts and cookies to the great treat table. Anne Marie lent us her coffee pot and some furniture for guests (and Jimbo, who really loved the wicker chair!). Lots of attendees took all the dogs out for walks and they all got lots of attention.
Many guests came through, and a lot of new volunteers were signed up.
We are very thankful that the center was not damaged by Hurricane Sandy, and we plan to offer assistance to those shelters that did not fare as well.
We are looking forward to finishing the work and having another party on November 17th. Please join us!

11/1/2012
GRAND OPENING RESCHEDULED!

Because of Hurricane Sandy, we have RESCHEDULED the GRAND OPENING of the Animal Outreach Adoption Center to Saturday, November 17.
But! .... we encourage you to stop by Staurday, November 3, between 1:00-5:00 pm for a sneak peek!
600 Park Blvd, Unit #3
West Cape May, NJ 08204
Hoping see you then!

9/28/2012
Building update and Announcement

Negotiations are continuing to bring cost of building the new shelter closer to our planned budget. In the meantime, the immediate need for a workspace and adoption center remains critical.
As an interim step, we have decided to open a small storefront office in West Cape May where potential adopters can meet our currently fostered animals.
While this is not the end-solution, it does give us the ability to work more efficiently from a centralized location towards our goal of finding more great homes for homeless cats and dogs in our region!

Animal Outreach is pleased to announce the opening of our new Adoption Center located at 600 Park Blvd. WCM. Don't miss our Grand Opening scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 3rd. 1 to 6pm. Our hours will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12 to 3pm. Additional hours can be arranged by appointment. Come meet the wonderful kittens, cats, puppies and dogs available for adoption and fall in love!

8/12/12
SHELTER UPDATE


As we move forward with the plan to build a no-kill shelter and sanctuary, Animal Outreach has received and reviewed bids from four construction contractors. Unfortunately these bids exceed our current budget.
Our approach is to ask the lowest bidder to reduce their proposal based on a list of cost-saving measures while maintaining the integrity of the facility, and possibly delegate some non-essential parts of the project to a "phase two" status.
It is our intention to be conservative with our resources, and respectful of all of the donations that we receive from our great supporters.
We will keep the community informed of the progress of the bidding negotiations and our plans to advance construction. Thank you all for your patience and support. We hope that you'll find that the time we are taking is critical to ascertain that we are prudent with every dollar donated to Animal Outreach.

GREAT NEWS!
We are delighted to announce that our Shelter is
OUT TO BID!

Animal Outreach of Cape May County Lot 5, Block 494.01 Bayshore Road Lower Township, NJ Separate sealed BIDS for the construction of a single story, approximately 3,000 sf animal shelter to accommodate both canines and felines. The facility includes office support space and exterior animal play and exercise areas Bids will be received by Animal Outreach of Cape May County at the office of Conspectus, Inc. until 1 pm Tuesday, July 31 2012, and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud.
The contract documents may be examined at the following locations: Conspectus Inc. office at 2231 Route 50, Tuckahoe, NJ 08250. Contact Jay Bethel or David Stutzman at 609.628.2390.
Direct questions in writing to Architect: James V. Livoti 50 Woodland Dr. Bridgeton, NJ 08302; jvlarch@comcast.net; Fax 856.455.9544.
Copies of the CONTRACT DOCUMENTS may be obtained at the office of Arc Reprographics located at 1110 New Road, Absecon, NJ 08201 (609) 646-9324 upon payment of the printing costs for each set. A pre-bid meeting will be held at office of Conspectus, Inc. on Friday, July 13, 2012 at 10 a.m. prevailing time.
Bidders are required to attend. Bidders are required to visit the site prior to submitting a bid. Printer Fee: $75.24 #0090723060 Pub Dates: July 1, 8 & 15, 2012

PRESS RELEASE 5-29-2012

SHELTER PLAN IN FINAL STAGE

(Cape May, NJ) Animal Outreach of Cape May County will soon accept bids to build its animal shelter and sanctuary beginning in June. This news comes after a meeting among Animal Outreach officials, engineer Vincent Orlando, architect James Livoti, and representatives from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The shelter is being built with funds from the generosity of animal lovers nationwide, more specifically from those who visit or call Cape May their home, and with the resources of loan/grant funding by the USDA. “All of the conditions are in place to begin accepting bids,” says Ellen Shaw, President of Animal Outreach. “We are honored to see so many services donated, such as those of our architect, Jim Livoti, so this project will make the best use of each dollar that has been donated.” The site will include a septic system, as municipal water/sewer access is not readily available—which was just one of many details that needed to be worked out. “Thankfully, we’ve been able to work out those details, which took some time, and we’re ready to move forward,” says Shaw.
Plans to sustain the shelter are ongoing, according to Shaw. “We are so thankful for all of the individuals, businesses, and other non-profits in the area,” she says. “We will continue to partner with all of these groups to not only build the shelter but sustain it as well. As many know, an animal shelter and sanctuary is not considered a great revenue generator. We will need to count on good will and generosity through the coming years to make sure our region continues to be a humane one.” To learn more about Animal Outreach and its ongoing work in support of homeless dogs and cats throughout our region, call 609-898-1PET or visit www.aocmc.org.

2011 News Archive

PRESS RELEASE 10-26-2011

USDA Helps Fund Animal Outreach of Cape May County No-Kill Animal Shelter & Sanctuary

(Cape May, NJ) Animal Outreach of Cape May County, Inc., announces that the USDA Office of Rural Development will be providing a low-interest loan/grant combination package so the organization can build a no-kill animal shelter and sanctuary at its property on Bayshore Road in North Cape May. This marks a milestone in the organization's long-standing quest to build such a facility for the homeless cats and dogs in the region. Architectural designs were supplied under the volunteer efforts of James Livoti, AIA, a committed animal lover from Bridgeton, NJ. "Every one of the volunteer leaders is committed to the cause of helping cats and dogs in need," says Livoti, "and I'm just honored to be part of the mission." Livoti adds that the group is also being helped by Opalek Engineering, LLC, of Somerdale, NJ.

Until now, the non-profit organization had relied on foster homes for the care of homeless cats and dogs until they are adopted. "We're still going to rely on those foster homes," says Ellen Shaw, President of Animal Outreach. "But now we'll have a shelter and sanctuary for the cats and dogs to be a better resource for the region." Shaw says Animal Outreach remains a resource for the current municipal shelter. "The county shelter is a great help to cats and dogs here," she says, "and we're hoping this facility will be a support for them as well."

In May 2007, the volunteer group suffered a tremendous loss when the trailer that it had been using for a shelter caught fire, killing all 37 cats inside. There was an outpouring from the community which raised thousands of dollars toward the building of a new structure. "The Board has been diligent in its study of what approach to take with a new structure," says Gina Tubertini-Loefflad, Treasurer for Animal Outreach. "We looked at modular buildings and found that the expense in setting one up was comparable to what our architect had drawn up. The last thing we wanted was another trailer, and we wanted an industrial facility that would withstand the test of time and the wear and tear we know a high volume of cats and dogs can bring to a building. We have been fortunate to have such a loyal donor base, and that funding brought us to about 20% of the way there. This USDA loan/grant combo brings us the remainder of the way, which is great news for homeless cats and dogs in the region!"

Animal Outreach plans to start work on the new shelter in late 2011/early 2012, with completion scheduled for 2013. If you want to help the cause, you can visit Animal Outreach at www.aocmc.org or call 609-898-1738. You can also visit Animal Outreach at Petsmart in Rio Grande every Friday and Saturday from 12 to 3 p.m. to see the animals up for adoption.

Find out more about the new Animal Outreach of Cape May County Shelter by visiting our Shelter page..

2nd Annual Harpoon Henry's Jam a Success!
7/2011

Whether you were there to chill with your friends, listen to one of the best bands in Cape May, or enjoy a cold one with great food, the 2nd Annual Harpoon Henry's Jam was a complete success. The event also ushered in a new generation of hats and tshirts with the new Animal Outreach logo. There were no fewer than 30 prizes to give away as well so everyone at least knew someone who left with something. And 5 Hour Jones had the audience jamming all day long--even a great cover of the Prince song "Let's Go Crazy!" We want to thank all the volunteers who gave hours of time to help put this event together. "This is becoming a fantastic fundraiser for Animal Outreach," said Anne Stevenson, who organized the event (her hubby plays drums for 5 Hour Jones, in case you were wanting to connect the dots!). "We have some of the best volunteers from all the non-profits in town. I'm proud to be a part of this organization, how it helps the helpless cats and dogs finding them loving, permanent families. We help Cape May county be a more humane place to live, and we get to do work like that because of events like this! Make sure to join us next July for the another great jam!"

2010 News Archive

2010 Mutt Strut Makes Donation to Animal Outreach
10/2010

Members of the Cape May County Dog Obedience Training Club (CMCDOTC) presented a check for $2331 to Animal Outreach of Cape May County, representing one-half of the proceeds of the 2010 Mutt Strut held on the Cape May Promenade in September. Pictured with the check and CMCDOTC members and dogs are Mutt Strut Co-chairs Carolyn MacMullen and Sandy Fedoroff, President Regina McCarren Dougherty and Animal Outreach Corresponding Secretary Shelley Van Dyke. The $2331 donation, along with previous Mutt Strut proceeds is earmarked for the construction of dog kennels in Animal Outreach’s planned no-kill Shelter in Lower Township

The CMCDOTC share of the Mutt Strut proceeds is used to defray the cost of training programs for members and the public and for the Club’s community outreach activities. A current project is donating pet oxygen masks to fire and rescue companies in Cape May County.

Plan to participate in the 5th Annual Mutt Strut to be held on the Cape May Promenade on Saturday, September 17, 2011, with a rain date of Sunday, September 18. For information on CMCDOTC training programs and activities email: CMCDOTC@comcast.net.