Bergen County S.P.C.A. News

Winter is Coming!

While you're sitting inside of your warm home this winter, are you breaking the law by not providing proper protection from the elements for your outdoor pet? Although some people choose to keep their dog outside year-round, they must be especially careful during the winter months so that their pet remains healthy and happy.

Here are some tips to follow so that you do not risk breaking the law and causing harm to your pet:

  • A dog must be provided with a doghouse in order to keep him warm.  Use doghouses built of wood (not plastic) and they should be large enough only for the dog to be able to turn around and lie down in comfortable (he should be able to heat the house with his own body heat).  Make sure there is a curtain to block the door and keep out drafts, but that allows the animal to come and go freely
  • Be sure to put something that will hold warmth on the floor of the doghouse (examples:  blankets, wood shavings, newspapers, a bed, etc)
  • Use a heater in the doghouse, if possible, but make sure that there is no chance of it burning the animal or of it causing a fire
  • No matter how cold it is, an animal must, by law, be provided with clean water to drink.  If it is below 32 degrees out, check the water regularly to make sure that it is not frozen
  • Last, but not least, if it is bitter cold out, BRING YOUR DOG INSIDE!  There is nothing sadder than seeing an animal shivering in the cold on a freezing cold winter night.

S.P.C.A. Clothing Bins

Help raise money for the S.P.C.A. by donating your old clothing items at one of our bin drop-off locations! Now, helping the Bergen County S.P.C.A. has never been easier. All you have to do is clean out your closet and drop off your old, yet still usable clothes in one of our conveniently located clothing bins located throughout Bergen County. All of the proceeds go to help our organization fight animal cruelty here in Bergen County.

If you know of a location somewhere in Bergen County that is in need of a bin, please let us know! You can contact us at your regular number (201-573-8900) or email us.

Bin Information (for those interested in finding locations):

  • Bin Size:  Height - 6ft. x Width - 6ft. x Depth - 5ft.
  • Two bins are equivalent to one parking space
  • Bin will be placed at landlord's discretion
  • Bin will be placed in an isolated area
  • Contents will be removed on a daily basis
  • Bin will be kept clean at all times
  • No Maintenance cost to landlord
  • Exclusive rights for occupancy upon approval

Girl Scouts Raise Money for B.C.S.P.C.A.

A Bergen County Girl Scount Troop has recently done a fundraiser collecting donations to benefit the Bergen County S.P.C.A. Animal Rescue Fund! The girls had a great time and helped to protect the animals in their community at the same time.

Every penny goes directly toward the well-being of our local animals. If you are interested in holding a similar fundraiser, please contact us at regular number (201-573-8900) or email us and we'll give you all of the information you need!

The NEW Bergen County S.P.C.A.

In a ground-breaking new arrangement with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, the Bergen County S.P.C.A. is in the process of becoming an "Animal Cruelty Task Force" which will be part of the Bergen County Prosecutor's team. We are the first S.P.C.A. in the State of New Jersey to have this type of arrangement and, with this setup, we will be taking animal cruelty law enforcement to a whole new level. With a newly designed training program to add to our highly experienced officers'  knowledge and concern for the welfare of our county's animals, we will be able to bring more resources than ever before to our investigations and expand the level of service that we have been providing the citizens and animals of Bergen County.

We look forward to serving you in the near future!  As always, thank you for your continued support.

Oakland Raccoon Drowning Case Update

On May 14, 2004, Oakland P.D. contacted the Bergen County S.P.C.A. regarding a man who killed two baby raccoons and attempted to kill three more by drowning them in a bucket of water.  After a thorough investigation, an S.P.C.A. officer issued five summonses for animal cruelty.  The case was heard on June 1, 2004 in the Bergen Central Municipal Court of Bergen County in Hackensack at which time the perpetrator was found guilty on two counts of criminal animal cruelty and paid $500 in fines, as well as costs incurred by the Bergen County Animal Shelter for nursing the three baby raccoons that lived back to health.  The three surviving babies are doing well and will be released shortly.