H.A.R.T. was formed in June of 2002; we are a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) animal rescue organization. All of our members have previous experience in rescuing and have fostered numerous animals. Because we all have similar thoughts and philosophies about rescuing, we have joined together to increase our opportunities to help animals in need. Like other rescue groups, we find homes for many abandoned cats. We are not a shelter; we foster our cats in our homes until we can find a permanent home for them. We are small group of individuals with the same interest in finding long-lasting, loving homes for cats. And like people, cats have personalities, so we try very hard to find a home that best suits each cat's needs. Our first priority is always the safety and well-being of our animals. We try hard to make the adoption experience a positive and life-long commitment between you and your new family member. We want our animals to be in their forever home when they leave our foster care. We take pride in making a good match between the family and the pet they are adopting. Different pets have different requirements, and we want all involved to be happy with any match we make. Education is a very important part of our philosophy. We would like to reduce the number of homeless animals through public awareness of the importance of spaying and neutering your pets. One of our biggest rescues came In January of 2003 when over 100 cats were dumped into the brutal cold of winter after their owner died. We learned about this disturbing situation when a person called us about some cats crying outside their deceased neighbor's house. What we discovered when we arrived was that the relatives who inherited the house couldn't be bothered with a humane way to remove the cats from the house. Instead, they had begun to have the cats dumped in a wooded lot fifteen miles away or just tossed outside the house. We immediately began rescuing the cats that were left outside on the property along with the cats that had been dumped at the wooded location. These cats had never been outside and had no winter coats to protect them from the elements. Many of the ones that were outside died before we became aware of the situation. We got all of the remaining cats (over twenty) as well as the ones still alive outside the home. After months of hard work and dedication we were able to rescue over sixty of these cats in all. The rest sadly suffered horribly from starvation, exposure to sub-zero temperatures and dog attacks. Most of the cats were Maine Coon mixes. Many of the rescued cats needed intensive medical care and hospitalization: most had been reduced to 3-4 pounds! All of the cats needed to be vaccinated, spayed, neutered and tested for FeLV and FIV (all were negative). Along with the constant care given to the cats, some of our members were instrumental in pursuing an animal cruelty case in court. Their efforts brought to light the severity of the cruelty forced upon these animals. The people who committed this atrocity pleaded guilty and had to pay a significant fine. Fortunately, most of the rescued cats recovered after intensive medical treatment and a steady diet of food, warmth, and kindness from the rescuers. Many have been adopted but there are still some needing homes. Some of the cats that we have are in need of medical attention and costly veterinarian bills. We need your help with this on-going project. All of the cats that were dumped are no longer at the dumpsite, but we continue to care for the feral colony that had already lived at this location. It seems that more pet cats are left here at this location to fend for themselves. We have started to spay and neuter the resident cats, but it takes time and money to care for these cats. All donations are tax deductible. Please, use the button to make a donation to go for the medical bills of the Dunellen cats.
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