New Area No-Kill Shelter Seeks Sponsors for Rescue Truck

The nonprofit Bergen County Protect & Rescue Foundation, an all volunteer, no-kill animal shelter in Cliffside Park began operation in August 2012, taking in animals from seven towns, including Cliffside Park, Edgewater, Fairview, Fort Lee, Palisades Park, Bogota and Teaneck.

Now the group is seeking donations, sponsors and volunteers.

“We need to raise $50,000 in order to supply and operate this shelter,” said Bergen County Humane Enforcement’s Vincent Ascolese, who is heading up the foundation. “Since we opened, we have been receiving approximately 50-plus calls a day asking for help from the public or towns. We have had some large sponsors to help get us started to run this establishment, however we still have a long way to go.”

Ascolese said an old EMS station was converted into an animal shelter, and that the cost of leasing and running the facility is about $2,500 a month. He also said the shelter still needs things basics like crates, cages, food, collars, leashes and other things, but that the greatest need is another “rescue truck.”

“The need for an additional rescue truck will aid the BC Humane Enforcement staff greatly with picking up animals from various locations and transporting them to the veterinarians offices to and from the shelter,” Ascolese said. “Currently, one truck was donated, and we paid to have our name placed onto it.”   

He added that he’s “optimistic” the foundation can get “one or several” sponsors to donate another truck or money toward the purchase of one.

“Once we have secured a rescue truck, we will be more than honored to place the sponsor’s [or sponsors’] company name on the truck for everyone to observe your support,” he said. “We will be a common site in the public eye once we procure appropriate equipment to better serve our communities.”

BC Protect & Rescue Foundation is operating entirely on donations; the towns it serves do not contribute any funds toward the project, according to the foundation, whose mission is “to save as many lives as possible without being euthanized, due to lack of a home, space or compassion.”

The foundation’s mission statement continues as follows:

“We are here to help educate the public on Humane Education and spay/neuter, and micro-chipping procedures. BC Protect & Rescue Foundation is a place where the public can come for help and have any questions they may have answered. This foundation is here to serve public and it needs, saving one life at a time.”

According to foundation officials, they are always looking for “highly dedicated volunteers to fill many positions.”

Those interested in donating their time to the cause are urged to drop by the shelter during operating hours—1 to 5 p.m., seven days a week—and fill out a volunteer application. The shelter is located at 302 2nd St. at the corner of Walker Street in Cliffside Park.

More information on volunteering is available here.

Visit the Bergen County Protect & Rescue Foundation online to view the animals that are currently available for adoption or to make a donation.

You can also send a check to BC Protect & Rescue Foundation, PO Box 1172, Fort Lee, NJ 07024.