1. I don't understand why the volunteers are being shut out while they are planning for reorganization. They do not have to be mutually exclusive! This hurts the animals as well as the paid staff by putting more work on them. When it can't get done, who's going to suffer? The animals in the shelter. They are not going to get the attention and socialization that is need to get them ready for their forever homes (meaning possibly more euthanizations). If the management/BoH is upset over comments on FB, then have volunteers sign some sort of confidentiality agreement where they won't discuss the shelter publicly. I'm sure many of the volunteers would be willing to sign this if it means they can get back to helping the animals.

2. Of course Mayor McCarthy supports Lore's decision. He wanted to have the entire shelter shut down last year. That's how the Facebook page 'Save the Bloomfield/Bukowski Shelter' page got started in the first place. So, in my opinion, anything that can be done to hurt the shelter and strengthen his position is what he'll support.

3. As a person who lives in the town and has my taxes support the shelter and BoH, I'm absolutely disgusted in the decision that has been made. The shelter is what it is because of the volunteers. I've heard the horror stories of how it used to be, and I'm terrified that it will return to that since there is not enough staff (unpaid/volunteers that cost the town nothing!) needed to help care for the animals.

Again, where to start with both Lore and Fitzpatrick's comments...

A year ago this month "my" (as they keep calling it even though I didn't create it and there are two other page admins) Save the Bloomfield/Bukowski Shelter facebook page was created in response to proposed, severe budget cuts to the Health Department. Per Karen Lore herself the shelter would be in danger of being shut and the Health and Human Services portion of the Health Department severely curtailed. "My" facebook page was more than fine then when we were able to garner public support for both the shelter AND Health and Human Services. Then it was OK to discuss shelter issues, but now it's not? Interesting. Also, when HD completely botched dealing with one of the incompetent shelter supervisors they hired two years ago and he refused to hand over the password for Petfinder, resulting in that key adoption tool being shut down for almost 6 months, "my" page once again became useful when I began recording and posting videos of cats and dogs at the shelter who otherwise wouldn't have received any public exposure. Again, "my" page was more than OK.

Then, when the Fundraising Committee created a wish list for the shelter on Amazon and it was posted on "my" shelter facebook page and donations began pouring in, again "my" page (actually I refer to it now as the outlaw page) was a big hit with everyone.

The Health Dept has selective memory it seems.

As for the situation with my mother: I was completely blindsided by Ms. Lore's email which came to me the day after my mother and I had a very nice, quiet visit with the cats in the cat room. Mom sat in a chair, as usual, waving a wand around to entertain the captive audience while I did my thing grooming and socializng the more timid cats. We never once had an incident of any sort. All I was told was I could no longer bring my mother to the shelter because she - and apparently she alone out of the rest of the population welcome each day - represented a liability. I wanted to know why. I was never told. I still don't know why, though the story keeps changing from the place being a construction site (which it's been since last November and as far as I can tell it's a construction site no matter who visits) to now she's not covered under the shelter's insurance policy. Really? ARE ALL OTHER VISITORS TO THE SHELTER COVERED UNDER THE POLICY? I didn't think so.

Mike and Karen, while complaining about things posted publicly on facebook, have NO problem accepting stolen personal property (private emails from hacked personal email accounts) to use against volunteers and others. That, too, is being handled by the BoH attorney. He doesn't seem to have a problem using stolen property against private citizens either, so I'm supposed to trust his handling of my mother's situation? Not likely.

just someone get in there and help the animals the rest of this is political BS

Mike Fitzpatrick was responsible for the deaths of two cats last year- with no notice to the volunteers. One was old and the other had diabetes and FIV. They were killed rather than given medical attention - there is a fund for medical attention but the Board of Health/Health Officer has to approve spending.

I've been told by the volunteers that they could have placed both cats and as everyone knows diabetes is reversable in felines and FIV cats can live a long and happy life..

Mr. Fitzpatrick told me (in a phone conversation) that he arranged for their deaths early on a weekend so that no volunteers would be at the shelter to protest.

Then of course the is the Glen Ridge Kitty who was killed within 3 hours of being brought to the shelter. Not even a 7 day hold as is the SOP. The person who brought the cat wanted to check and see if he was miocrochipped, and to have the cat evaluated. The cat had also bitten her.

As reported on Facebook- she spoke to the Shelter's Vet who assured her that the cat would be held in 10 day quarantine and not killed and that she would be able to adopt it. The Glen Ridge Kitty was killed instead.

She now has a complaint against the shelter filed with the State of NJ.

Our taxes pay for the Shelter. All shelter operations, policies, procedures and statistics should be available to the public. They are not.

I recently OPRA'd the fund raising history for the shelter and was told that it was not avaialble and that I could check the IRS filings of a 501c3 that they have everything umbrella'd under. They didn't even supply the files!

Karen and Mike: If this IS about me and my mother then please, keep ME out of the shelter but let the rest of the volunteers back in. I don't care what you say publicly about staff working with them and I'm enjoying the cutesy posts on the "official" shelter page but the fact remains 3 or 4 staffers cannot possibly give those animals the attention they got from volunteers, some of whom were there 5-7 days each and every week for years.

I'LL STAY OUT. LET THE OTHERS BACK IN! It IS only about the animals, for me anyway.

Going by their public statements, they sound like people who want to change the 'low kill' rules. The thing I find so ugly is that they clearly don't care if the animals in the shelters are properly cared for adopted. The town should vote these folks out of office.

g nelson, unfortunately they are not elected officials but supported by our tax dollars.

It seems to me that this woman and her mother have made a mess for everyone including the animals. There are precautions for everything and perhaps the 87 year old mother would be at risk with some of the animals. Seems to me that some people look for things like this to make a stink about....while REAL volunteers are just happy to help in any way that they can...and follow rules.

Seems to me that the Health Department has made a mess of it- 3 Shelter managers in the last year with differnt policies and procedures for each one. making volunteers resign form after form pledging that they will not discuss the shelter among themsleves or on facebook.

removing the cats treats, toys and beds.

Killing several animals when there were people who wanted to adopt them.

How does any of this have anything to do with the fact that the Health Department is discriminating against Jo Banda because of her age?

Claudia, with all due respect and knowing everyone is entitled to an opinion I must respectfully tell you how wrong you are. All I did from the very beginning is, privately and through emails, get a reason why my mother is the ONLY person the township decided is a liability. I was and continue to be completely ignored by one and all...from Ms. Lore and the BoH to other township officials and Sen. Lautenberg's office. It was not my intention to "go public" but after making their decision they then refused to explain it. I'm sorry, but I'm not only a volunteer but a long-time taxpayer as is my mother. If nothing else we deserved the courtesy of a response. The facebook page I started for her was done as a joke to hopefully cheer up my mother who was and remains extremely upset that she's no longer welcome. It took off as many others saw the injustice of what was done to her and encouraged me to continue trying to get to the bottom of this.

If Karen Lore or anyone else had any decency or common courtesy my mother's "situation" would have remained a private matter. They don't and it hasn't.

I find it appalling that government bodies forget for whom they work. Public money = disclosure. As a simple observer I wonder what's being hidden and why there's so little accountability.

BLOOMFIELD SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITSELF! this town is going to hell! just for pride and greed they are punishing helpless creatures! they must be hiding something if things cant be shared on fb! how many of the people running this town live here and really cares what happens but for a pay check! its sickening.WAKE UP VOTERS! for the taxes we pay we should have a state of the art shelter! the center is a disaster the colege is buying up everything and doesnt give back to the community now the most helpless are suffering when will it end!

OK, I've about had it with the deceitful and 'smoke blowing' of the Bloomfield Health Department. And I'm not even involved with either side of this inane situation. However, I do know better and there are several things that I've "had it up to here with." For now, I am focusing on this one, very important fact which has been consistently hidden and swept under the rug. For Karen Lore and Mike Fitzpatrick to brag that there is 'in-house' veterinary care being provided at the Bloomfield Animal Shelter is a complete farce. The staff member who provides this illegal vet care is an uncertified, felon (3 counts of manufacturing and selling crystal meth) who abuses the animals on a regular basis, and has been for the past 2+ years. Such heinous acts for which he has been reported include spraying chemical cleanser in a cat's face, throwing a heavy, bean-filled toy at another and hitting it in the chest after calling it a M*ther-Effer and continuously dragging the dogs around by their collars, feet off the floor from the inside to outdoor kennels and/or swinging their bodies, while choking them, into the runs and kennels. This continuous habit the HD has of protecting not only this uncertified, unqualified, animal abuser, but the current unqualified, dishonest and delusional current shelter manager as well, is horrendous and shameful. HD: You are not innocent in this. So stop behaving as if you are.

AND OUR TAX MONEY IS PAYING FOR THIS???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DISGUSTING! AND THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT THE ANIMALS AREN'T ALLOWED IN, gOD HELP US ALL AND THOSE POOR BABIES!

Ah..Deborah, I've read every post of yours and it is YOU that is spewing hate. You've suggested on Baristanet that I shut my mouth. I treated you with respect but told you that this us the USA and that Freedom of Speach and Transparency in Government are to be valued.

You trashed a young, cute, energentic reporter from Channel 1 Fios on the Save the Bukowski Facebook page saying that she looked like Barbie and criticizing her reporting (it was fair to both sides).

You say that you don't know Karen Lore and that you have never volunteered at the Bukowski Shelter and yet you continue to try to muddy the waters on this issue.

Jo Banda had been volunteering at the Bukowski Shelter in one way or another for the last 15 years. Are you personally knowledgable about the refusal of the Bloomfield Health Department to give a reason for banning Jo Banda of all people in NJ from the shelter. Grandmas, Grandpas, adults, kids (even small kids) are allowed in to visit the animals and yet Jo Banda cannot set foot on the property (property that she as a taxpayer pays for).

This fight isn't just about Jo Banda. It is about the treatment of all the volunteers (the in-shelter volunteer have ALL been banned.) Are they all liabilitiies or is the health department trying to hide something.

And ultimately this fight is about the animals- their treatment- the withholding of toys, treats, beds and human solice from the cats and the withholding of training and comapnionship from the dogs.

You don't sound very informed to me.

As long as Bloomfield's Board of Health continues to put people in positions they are not qualified for, they will continue to have problems. Karen Lore is the "Acting" Director, because she is not qualified to be the director. They have had 3 "temporary" shelter managers, none of which meet or met the qualifications of being a certified Animal Control Officer, and to have 5 years experience in shelter management. Yet they had laid off the full time ACO who had been acting shelter manager in the past, who was well qualified. Now Bloomfield has no full time ACO's and the well qualified individual is working as menial "shelter help", and once again they have a temp. unqualified person as shelter manager. Yet the autonomous Board of Health rubber stamps each hiring made by their unqualified "acting" director.

Sounds like R.D. Lainge's "Knots'

"If I don't know I don't know, I think I know. If I don't know I know, I think I don't know. "

“You have volunteers going after the organization that they’re volunteering in.  I’ve never heard of such a thing!  ‘I’m going to do and say exactly what I want and there’s nothing you can do about it.  And by the way, I’m still going to volunteer’.”

Has any volunteer ever made such a statement? Most of the volunteers posting their complaints have been involved with the shelter's ongoing issues for a lot longer than than Ms. Lore, yet their concerns have been ignored by a succession of administrators who seem to have had little direct contact with the animals. So Lore's solution to her issues with the volunteers is not to bring them into the discussion but to shut them out altogether. What did she expect the volunteers to do? Hibernate for 3 months or more?

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose…"

What rankles me - other than the cruel treatment of the animals is:
WE'RE PAYING FOR THIS. WE PAY KAREN LORE'S SALARY. WE PAY FOR THE CRUEL TREATMENT OF THE ANIMALS!

My comment was accidently deleted (by me!) earlier today. But I wanted to reiterate my strong belief that there are two sides to every story. Since my comment was deleted, my own name has been used frequently (and not in a "nice" way) by certain people on this site and also on FB. Also, one person's comments about me were deleted on Baristanet (checking with my own attorney re: defamation of character. Also reported abusive comments to FB). That said, name calling is always a big bore and does nothing. What I do find sad is the "let's get her/them" (not me, but the officials in Bloomfield) that seems to be prevalent on said FB website . And for the record, I DID remove myself from that site on purpose. Reading the same thing over and over again -- preaching to the choir and all -- was just a time waster (mine). That said everyone has a right to their opinion, but I "unliked" the page because I wasn't interested in reading it anymore (I did once LOVE that page when it focused on adoptions). BTW -- I also received many private FB comments from people who thanked me for speaking up on that FB page (they were afraid they would get attacked by other poster so didn't post). As for the actual issue -- I do have faith that volunteers will be allowed back into the shelter eventually. Perhaps not certain volunteers, but others. And I do think training new volunteers, and making the rules very clear, is a good idea.

Very nice since you did post both here and on baristanet that you had been BANNED from the Save the Bukowski facebook page. That's not the Save the Bukowski FB page administrator's Mo. They let people post and share their opinions.

NOT like the Bloomfield Health Department who wants to silence any discussion and who wants to hide their actions.

You weren't BANNED. And as we can all see above- the EDITOR DELETED YOUR NASTY REMARKS (there no way for you to delete your post and put in "This comment has been deleted.").

So now you're backtracking and trying to clear up your untruths.

It doesn't wash. Talk to your attorney. He or she will tell you that THE TRUTH is not libelous!

Pat -- I did delete my comment (by accident. I am in London on business and my computer went insane. I was on that page and suddenly the comment was "gone."). Feel free to ask Linda on this site (I've been in touch with her). I truly can't get into these silly discussions with you. In fact, Linda posted a warning (see the side) because of comments (not made by me). Enjoy the weekend!

BTW - we are ALL hardworking volunteers. I personally cleaned more cat cages, and better, in my first 5 years at the shelter than staff did their entire careers. You know otherwise, how? I don't recall your name on the volunteer roster or helping muck out runs or scrub out cat cages over the last 15 years I've been involved.

Editor's Note: The comment threat on this topic has become increasingly abusive and is not in keeping with the purpose of this forum, which is to provide a place for the community to discuss issues. From now on, any comment that is personally libelous, which includes attacks on people by name, will be deleted. Other offensive comments regarding sexual orientation or other forms of personal attack or insult, will be deleted as well.

Thank you, Linda. I don't know and never will understand how this all degenerated into personal attacks. But for me, and the other 15+ shelter volunteers I am friendly with, this always has been and always will be about the animals. That is all that has ever meant anything to us.

Yes I have been banned from the Official Bukowski facebook page. A page run by the township of Bloomfield by paid Bloomfield employees and some volunteers. A page that the taxpayers fund in the sense that every post is read by the Board of Health (on our dime) and if they don't like it it is deleted.

Karen Lore asked that people post there. I asked about the banning of Jo Banda and was banned myself. The very notion that a volunteer would have the temerity to actually ask a question seemed to set their hair on fire.

Read the site it happy happy joy joy. No mention of any real world concerns or the fact that there are animals who go into isolation (yep - no contact with anyone except a shelter worker once or twice a day) and don't come out for months.

No mention that every animal has a DUE DATE (a date with the grim reaper). In the past volunteers have donated their own money to place these animals in sanctuary (not the two poor kitties that no notice was given on who were killed last year - one because it was old and the other for diabetes and FIV).

Who will save these animals now that there's no one watching?

I'm in Dubai on business. My computer is fine and I'm quite willing to discuss both computer issues and the Bloomfield Bukowski Shelter since I don't consider either of them "silly".

Why would the Bloomfield Health Department think that they have the right to limit Freedom of Speach for their volunteers? Did they really think that they could silence all of the volunteers?

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, states that:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

I suggest that Karen Lore and the Bloomfield Health Department are trying to blame the volunteers for their own actions and is attempting to incite hatred against them.

In germany this is called Volksverhetzung (German: "incitement of popular hatred") and is illegal
Whoever, in a manner that is capable of disturbing the public peace:
1. incites hatred against segments of the population or calls for violent or arbitrary measures against them; or
2. assaults the human dignity of others by insulting, maliciously maligning, or defaming segments of the population, shall be punished with imprisonment from three months to five years.

I think that Linda's warning goes for everyone...that means EVEn THOSE WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES SPECIAL.

I think that Intergrity 123's allegations should be investigated and if found to be true the party in question should be criminally charged. Animal cruelty should not be tolerated.

We do need Department Heads and Municipal workers that are qualified for the job. Aren't these Civil Service jobs? Aren't there rules?

Many of us, are curious to see how many and which of us will be allowed back into the shelter, and with what constraints. Fitzpatrick talks about rebooting and establishing "clean and neat policies". What will that be, Mike? Volunteers are to be seen, do the hard work, but not heard? When spoken to like delinquent school children we seniors are supposed to bow our heads and say "YES SIR! Thank you SIR!" while being grateful YOU'VE allowed us to volunteer in OUR animal shelter?

One of the most frustrating aspects to this situation is the numbers of volunteers who feel exactly as I do but are afraid, yes AFRAID, of speaking on the record for fear of reprisal. They're afraid of not being allowed back in, even those who've had 10+ years' experience and have forgotten more about shelter animals than Mike or Karen or the manager du jour will ever know. Some are afraid our private email accounts are still being monitored/hacked and refuse to put anything in writing. We're not talking about impressionable young kids, here. We're talking about seasoned citizens, senior citizens, professionals many of them...all cowed by the likes of Mike Fitzpatrick and Karen Lore due to the discriminatory and punitive actions against many of us over the last two years.

This suspension was coming. I stupidly refused to see it because of the respect I had for Ms. Lore. Note the past tense.

Karen Lore: "Banda’s comments on the Facebook site, Save the Bloomfield/Bukowski Shelter, have been a factor." What comments, specifically? Let me know which were the egregious comments, other than "Animals Held Hostage" which was in response to your decision to ban in-shelter volunteers. That I did to call attention to the latest situation. Other than that, pray tell, which comments bothered you so? The answer is none. I kept everything on that page straightforward and geared toward generating support, donations and adoptions for our shelter. Up until a few weeks ago, at management's directive, the Media and Fundraising committees shared their information with me to post on "my" shelter facebook page and I did it willingly because I thought WE were all working together for the same cause. You've decided since you couldn't infiltrate "my" page and control the contents, even though they were completely supportive of the shelter in every way, you had to retaliate. It's not about the animals at all for you, Mike and the manager du jour...it's all about control. And when you can't control someone you find a way to squeeze them out. That's what the "revamping" of the program is all about. You talk about "retraining" the volunteers? That has an ominous sound to it. Call it what it is, if you are at all capable of honesty.

Sounds like they want to "deprogram" whoever they think can be controlled.

Mind control (also known as brainwashing, coercive persuasion, mind abuse, thought control, or thought reform) refers to a process in which a group or individual "systematically uses unethically manipulative methods to persuade others to conform to the wishes of the manipulator(s), often to the detriment of the person being manipulated".The term has been applied to any tactic, psychological or otherwise, which can be seen as subverting an individual's sense of control over their own thinking, behavior, emotions or decision making.

By the way Karen Lore, the posts: "Animals Held Hostage" were made AFTER we received the email telling us the in-shelter volunteers were suspended, not before. You can't point to that as a reason for the suspension! It's the result of the suspension. And yes, you are holding those animals hostage in order to get the volunteers in line - for you meaning being seen, doing the work, but not heard.

As for ‘I’m going to do and say exactly what I want and there’s nothing you can do about it. And by the way, I’m still going to volunteer’.” Yeah, that's right. As long as nothing said is untrue or being done is harming the animals, staff, the public or other volunteers then what's the problem? You had no problem with facebook last year when we were helping you keep your budget from being cut. Why was facebook and posting about the shelter OK then but not now?

Shelter Animals Rock! My herd is from the Montclair Animal Shelter, but the best friends at the Bloomfield Animal Shelter are equally wonderful.

The poor cats at the Bloomfield Shelter are no longer allowed beds or toys. There are now no volunteers to socialize them

Within the mayor's quote is a huge concern for any citizen who thinks they are represented fairly: "..“The Board of Health is an autonomous board that sets their own rules and regulations....."

Autonomous? Is that the same as we can do whatever we want to, with or without reasonable data and explaination, and you can't do a thing about it?

The Board of Health and Health Department have been allowed to do whatever they want. They have dismissed all of the in-shelter volunteers and have banned an 87 year old woman from the shelter for her age.

We pay for all of this!

Now they're completely ignoring or playing down the contributions volunteers have made over the years. All of the hard work and dedication, the 5-7 day weeks' spent caring for the animals and doing jobs paid staff didn't do and their supervisors didn't care enough to make sure they did is now being completely trashed just to show everyone who's in charge. It's not about the animals or the shelter and clearly not about appreciating volunteers. It's all about power and control. And it's sickening.

Psychopaths at work here. No doubt. They enjoy the power and the evil, they are having fun. For the woman with the banned eldery mother ; psycho's don't like you in particular, you have an integrety, and they had so much fun upsetting you, also you represent a danger for exposing them. They love the attention they are getting now and would even prefer dividing people and organising fights. Meanwhile they love to play god and the killing of animals is always a joy. Nice town ... I have the impression we'll hear more from it ...

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