New Animal Rescue in Camden County

New Jersey Aid ForAnimals:

Dauntless, Dedicated, Educated


CAMDEN COUNTY -- There's a new animal rescue in town: a group that is unfettered by the kind of bureaucracy and politics that seem to bog down the other animal rescue behemoths. And the good news is, New Jersey Aid for Animals (NJAFA) is making a difference.

Kathy McGuire, Founder and President of South Jersey-based NJAFA believes that directly working the problem is the only solution to solving it. This diminutive, dedicated dynamo is so serious about rescuing helpless creatures from the horrific conditions imposed by their abusers, she'll go right into places others fear to tread and is an intrepid traveler checking out tips from all over New Jersey about cruelty and then reporting it to the authorities when others "may not want to get involved".

Topping the list of priorities on her daily to-do list, when she is not investigating the cruelty tips that come in, is educating people about spaying and neutering their pets –

"When funding is available, we are the ONLY non profit that travels regularly into Camden and personally takes animals from people's homes to get them altered and returns them the same night because these individuals don't have the money or transportation to get it done themselves. No one else does what we do. NJAFA is adamant about the importance of spaying/neutering because of the severe overpopulation of cats and dogs. McGuire explains "Checking out cruelty tips and then reporting it to the authorities, is as much of a priority for me as helping to prevent it – and a major way of doing that is educating people on the importance of spaying/neutering and getting it done myself if that's what it takes She is well known in Camden and gets calls daily from individuals to have their animals spayed or neutered.

"We aid animals in all counties of New Jersey but focus our dedication and compassion for Camden City, New Jersey's animals," McGuire explains. "Because we are headquartered in Camden County, a Camden County animal may receive a major portion of our funding for spaying and neutering and, when we have the funds, for needed medical procedures."
Armed with a tough, no-nonsense approach that offers zero tolerance for uncivilized behavior of humans toward the helpless, McGuire doesn't just field calls from concerned citizens who report abuse cases – she acts on them. A seasoned animal rescuer for almost two decades, McGuire is a certified NJ State Cruelty Investigator and Animal Control Officer, she has done due diligence to make sure of her legal standing when putting in her time and efforts on behalf of abused animals and against the abusers.

In fact, when she was newly certified three years ago, the NJSPCA asked her to coordinate the rescue and placement of two major animal hoarding cases because of her unique approach to saving animals. McGuire pulled out more than 100 animals from two hoarders and saved 98 percent of them from being forced to shelters and being euthanized, which is the usual protocol.

In her tireless mission to stop the suffering – one animal at a time – McGuire is all too aware that animal abusers will many times escalate to abusing and even murdering other humans. This proven phenomenon provides even more motivation to eradicate the cruelty and support changes in legislation on the local and state level that give more latitude to investigators and cruelty officers and toughen the consequences for abusers.

Lauded for her "unique quality for investigation" by her instructor at the police academy where she acquired her training, McGuire possesses a rare kind of integrity that is part of her day-to-day routine: whether it is raising funds, attempting to reason with an abusive animal owner or fearlessly obtaining video of the abuse. Her tenacity, coupled with her talent for research and knowledge of the statutes, make her a formidable crusader for animals in distress.

Heads up to animal abusers: Watch out – love her or hate her, she's here to stay.

New Jersey Aid for Animals in privately funded by donations and has no paid staff. The organization has 501-c3 tax-exempt status and is registered with the State of NJ Attorney General's Office to solicit donations.

For more information, to volunteer or to be considered for our Advisory Board, please log on to www.njafa.org or call McGuire directly at (856) 498-3978.

Wanted in Alabama

Looks like another monster on the loose for torturing dogs... Folks, I'm rapidly losing my patience with these "people." This guy is just another in a long list of bad guys I'm wanting to go after. Letters, phone calls, correspondence to the right agencies are needed. We all need to be the eyes, ears, and ultimately the voice of these animals who never had a say in how they're treated.



The abuse and burning of a 2-year-old pit bull has the phones ringing off the hook and donations pouring in at the Montgomery Humane Society.

The dog was beaten with a shovel, soaked with lighter fluid and set on fire while chained to a post Sept. 7.

"We are receiving calls from as far away as Brazil from people asking what possessed a person to torture such an innocent and loving animal as Louis and what can they do to help him," said Steven Tears, director of the Montgomery Humane Society.

The Humane Society named the dog "Louis Vuitton." A dog named Gucci was abused and burned in Mobile in 1994. That case led to Alabama's so-called Gucci Law, which was enacted in 2000 and makes it a felony to torture or kill a dog or cat.

In Louis' case, police have issued a felony arrest warrant for 20-year-old Juan Daniels, the son of Louis' owner. According to Scott Hill, the Humane Society's abuse investigator, Daniels wasn't allowed to borrow his mother's car, so in retribution, he tortured her dog.

Daniels faces a charge of first-degree animal cruelty. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. As of late Thursday afternoon, Daniels had not been taken into custody.

Louis is suffering from severe burns on 60 percent of his body and has multiple blunt-force trauma wounds, said Scott Hill, the Humane Society's abuse investigator.

"We are more concerned with Louis' burns because of the risk of infections from the open wounds and the severe pain he's in from having his foot pads and his claws burned," he said.

Glenda Easterling, who has been volunteering at the shelter for 14 years, said she was horrified to learn what had happened to Louis.

"Do you want to know my true feelings about what should happen to this man or just what you can print in the newspaper?" Easterling said Thursday at the shelter.

"How twisted can a man's mind be to attempt to burn any living creature alive?" she asked.

Tears said the shelter has received more than 50 calls a day about Louis and people have been stopping by the shelter to make donations.

Louis is being treated at an undisclosed location. He likely will need several major operations and could be hospitalized for a year.

"Any donations for Louis will be of great help to us so we can pay for his medical treatment," Tears said.

In 2006, the Montgomery Humane Society investigated about 1,400 cases of animal neglect and cruelty, leading to 300 arrests, Hill said.

Louis will be in pain for months, Hill said, but he's in good spirits, judging from how fast his tail wags every time someone comes to visit him.

"Louis' abuse is one of the most cruel and severe cases that we have seen in Montgomery in a number of years," he said.

"But Louis must be feeling better today because he has gotten into the trash can twice already," he said.

Contact Judge Henry E. Hudson

The sentencing date for Michael Vick is December 10, 2007. For those of you who might be interested in contacting the judge presiding over the Michael Vick case and would like to share (respectful) concern over the outcome, the following is where you can send your letters:

The Honorable Judge Henry E. Hudson

Lewis F. Powell, Jr., U.S. Courthouse

1000 E. Main St. Suite 305

Richmond, VA 23219-3525

I've been looking forward to getting this. It's a step-by-step guide to gaining a better voice as a voter in the political process. A voice for those who have none. A book like this is what I've been looking for. And if you even remotely consider yourself an animal lover, you'll find it an excellent resource to effect change. Its for anyone willing to be there for the long haul, ready to devote the time and effort it's gonna take to show lawmakers you're not gonna disappear eventually. To be honest, I'm really very excited about putting these strategies into practice. I've only browsed through a little of the book so far but I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wants to help pets and animals.