The Continuing Saga of Prince Chunk
September 5, 2008 by Gyvel Young © 2011
Filed under ALL ABOUT CATS, ANIMAL NEWZ, Adoption Stories, Poignant Pet Stories
Did the Fat Cat who was Prince get Chumped?
I was flagged on September 2, 2008 by fellow web blogger Chris, of Take Care of your Cats, regarding updated information on what I thought was a happy ending for dear Prince Chunk. Turns out I was wrong.
According to an August 28, 2008 article by The Associated Press the adoption paperwork is now held up due to legal wrangling and contract analyzing. Chunk’s new family the Damianis of New Jersey were ready to settle into a routine life with their new family member—until they were informed by the Camden County Shelter that the adoption agreement they signed was invalid.
Prince Chunk Contemplates a Snack
Jennifer Andersch, Executive Director of the Camden County Shelter, stated that due to the nature of Prince Chunk’s notoriety both parties agreed to have an adoption agreement drawn up by legal counsel. Part of that agreement would mandate that Chunk make fund-raising appearances on behalf of the shelter.
For the Damiani family the surprise of the “invalid” adoption agreement was even more confounding when a letter they received from the shelter labeled them as Chunk’s “foster” family. This bit of news spurred the Damiani family to take their story public.
What I find interesting about the Camden Animal Shelter is a little tidbit of information located on the internet regarding the shelter’s past history. It appears that the Camden County Animal Shelter has been in the spotlight before. At least on a local level.
In 1997 this shelter, located in Blackwood, New Jersey, was operated by a group that went under the name, Humane Society of Southern New Jersey. The director was Glenn McCleery and the organization itself was headed by Richard Perr, Esq. of Tineman, Krektsein & Harris, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who headed the shelter from its inception.
In 2002 the shelter was charged by the New Jersey SPCA for illegally providing shelter animals for experimentation, a practice known a “pound seizure.” Veterinary students from the local Camden college were provided with these animals to “practice” on. The college would order a certain number of animals of specific size, weight and species. The shelter would “fulfill” the order by slating these animals for euthanasia (regardless of the animal’s health condition or its adoptability).
“As reported in Compassion for Camden’s Winter 2002 UPDATE, in April and August of last year the Humane Society of Southern NJ (humane society) allowed a number of animals to be removed from the Camden County Animal Shelter to be used by Sound Technologies as test subjects for hands-on equipment training and sales. The company-sponsored seminars stretched over a period of days at the Cherry Hill Clarion Hotel.”
The practice was uncovered by Marion Churchill, founder and president of Compassion for Camden. It was then reported to the New Jersey SPCA who in turn conducted is own investigation*.
On July 24, 2004 the NJ SPCA formerly filed suit in Camden County Superior Court charging the management of the Camden County Animal Shelter, the Humane Society of Southern New Jersey, the Camden County College, shelter director Glenn McCleery, college staffer Maragaret Dorsey and various others with animal cruelty - the use of shelter animals for experimentation - a crime of the fouth degree. (read more..)
Thankfully as of September 1, 2004, Perr and the Humane Society of Southern New Jersey were no longer involved with the Camden County Animal Shelter. The Animal Welfare Society took over the operation of the shelter that same day.
According to Marion Churchill, when the shelter was under the direction of the Humane Society of Southern New Jersey, 60% of dogs and 80% of cats were killed. She states that the shelter’s inaccessible operating hours were partly responsible, since it was only open one evening a week and closed on Sundays and holidays. She continues to state that no other shelter in the state had such a poor record. Yet, when she approached Richard Perr about these sad numbers his email response was,” … the shelter continues to be one of the premier facilities in the state …” Marion Churchill concludes, “Frankly, I don’t know what ever prompted Perr to use the word ‘continues’ because I don’t recall the shelter to ever be ‘premier’.”
This news never reached those of us who live in other areas of the country but I am certain that locals were stunned and horrified when evidence was revealed that an organization containing the word “humane” turned out to be inhumane. And although the shelter’s current management has a wonderful record of decreasing euthanasia and increasing adoptions, its past may not be completely forgotten. This might explain why people like the Damiani family are suspicious about the shelter’s motives regarding Prince Chunk.
Indeed, Prince Chunk has proved to be quite a windfall for the county shelter placing it in the public spotlight—this time on a national level. From the shelter’s perspective Chunk provides the perfect opportunity to educate and enlighten people about the plight of homeless pets. Furthermore, his touching story may help the shelter receive much needed revenue in the form of donations. Certainly that is as it should be. Shelters are donation motivated and it’s not uncommon for them to capitalize on free publicity.
However, a humane shelter’s primary focus is to place its healthy pet population with loving families. To withhold an animal from receiving a permanent home due to its “fame” is not exactly within the interest of the animal. And this type of action places the shelter’s needs, and the “greater good” of other animals, above that of Prince Chunk. The Damianis need to know that this cat is indeed going to remain Prince of their home. And Chunk needs to become a permanent member of a family who obviously has his best interest at heart.
*A hard copy of the report, including names of witnesses, is available to the
public via the Open Public Records Request Application (OPRA).]Contact Camden County Administration 856-225-5354
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/opra/forminfo.html
County Administration 856-225-5354 mlonetto@camdencounty.com
Source Fox News/Prince Chunk's fate still lies in the balance. Will he or will he not have his permanent home with the Damiani family?
Unfortunately, the methods that the Camden County Animal Shelter uses to reduce it euthanisia numbers is by letting sick animals die in their cages. They release both stray and adoption animals, into “foster homes” unaltered, unvaccinated and have no idea who these people are. They release dogs, cats, puppies and kittens without being spayed or neutered, no vaccines and they do NO FOLLOW-UP. They also do not take back their own animals when the new owners don’t want them anymore forcing them to go to other shelters or be dumped on the streets.
While reducing euthanasia numbers is very commendable, and will get you more grant money, these methods are not the way to accomplish your goal. Many of these animals will go on to reproduce either by accident or on purpose. Many of the pit bull puppies will be fought or bred to produce more puppies to be sold for bait.
And now they have stooped to a new low by using a cat like Chunk for publicity and the trying to extort money from his new familiy who just wants to love him.
This shelter should be run by people who care more about animals than numbers.
Good point. One thing that can not be uncovered through the internet is how the numbers are arrived at. I appreciate your pointing this out to the rest of us.
Releasing animals into “foster” care without being spayed or neutered is unthinkable (unless the kittens or puppies are under the weight requirements for this surgery). And for a shelter to not accept animals back is a deplorable practice. As you said this forces people to seek other means of “getting rid of” an animal that is “not working” out. It is definitely inhumane to allow sick animals to suffer and die in their cages.
Thank you for your input it is greatly appreciated.