South Plainfield to share use of twp. animal shelter Agreement could save both towns$30K, mayor says BY TOM CAIAZZA Staff Writer EDISON - Mayor Jun Choi announced on Thursday that South Plainfield will share use of the Edison Animal Shelter. The shared-services agreement between the two municipalities will garner a cost savings to both towns of more than $30,000 per year a piece and would provide a central location for residents of northern Middlesex county to adopt stray or forfeited animals. Choi, flanked by Mayor Charles Butrico and Council President Dennis Cerami of South Plainfield, announced the agreement in front of the animal shelter and said that the project was "an example to make sure we're looking out for the taxpayers of Edison." The shelter, which has more than two decades of history with the township, is currently running well under capacity and has the ability to accept animals from neighboring communities, according to Jay Elliot, the Chief Registered Environmental Health Specialist for the shelter. The shelter is currently housing nine dogs and 22 cats, well below the shelter's capacity of 22 dog runs and even more space for cats and smaller animals. Edison township already has shared services agreements with Metuchen and Piscataway for various elements of the shelter's services. In terms of the deal with South Plainfield, according to Elliot, that township will receive the shelter's full service of animal capture, housing and eventually adoption, similar to the deal in place with Metuchen. Piscataway has their own animal capture service and simply pays for housing and adoption services. Butrico said that the township's contract with it's current animal shelter had become too costly for the residents to pay. That shelter's cost doubled since Jan. 1 of this year and making the service internal was not an option. "South Plainfield has needs for services that sometimes we can't handle internally," Butrico said. Cerami said that the township had been "blindsided" by the cost of their shelter and approached Edison with the shared services proposal. "We could no longer afford these services at the money," Cerami said. The shelter, which relies heavily on donations and volunteers, takes a proactive approach toward pet adoption. High school students from J.P. Stevens High School in Edison volunteer each week to walk, groom and play with the animals in order to keep them assimilated to domestic life and make them more attractive to prospective families. The animals are kept on heated concrete floors that are washed down twice per day and soft music is even played in the shelter to help keep the animals calm. Cerami said one of the reasons South Plainfield approached Edison was because they knew of the quality of the shelter. "We were making sure the care of the animals was at a good level," Cerami said. The agreement went into effect on April 1 and the officials from both towns, as well as Elliot, urged residents in Middlesex county to adopt from the shelter. The shelter's hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended hours on Wednesday.