Lacey Board Of Health Addresses Animal Control Contract Renewal

LACEY, NJ — The Lacey Township Board of Health addressed the decision to rehire the township’s previous animal control officer at a recent meeting.

In January, the board of health voted unanimously to renew their animal control officer contract with A-Academy Termite and Pest Control based in Howell.

The decision drew criticism from Lacey residents Barry Bendar and Lisa Tarzia, who authored a petition to establish Popcorn Park Zoo as the township’s animal control services provider in 2021.

According to the petition, Popcorn Park Zoo offers a TNVR (trap, neuter, vaccinate, release) program, which A-Academy does not use in its services. During a committee meeting in December, Tarzia said the current animal control officer brings animals to the Friends of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter, who must euthanize them if they are not claimed after seven days.

At the Feb. 10 Lacey Township Board of Health meeting, Tarzia presented figures that she calculated in an audit of the two companies, which projected that the cost of Popcorn Park Zoo’s services could be less expensive than A-Academy.

In response, officials said cost was not the sole factor in the board's decision, as they were satisfied with A-Academy’s prior services and received no valid complaints from the public. Valid complaints must be written and emailed to the Lacey Township Board of Health.

Oral complaints stated during public comment sessions of meetings and the comments written on Bendar and Tarzia’s petition also do not qualify as valid complaints.

As of Friday, their petition has attracted 1,162 signatures and will remain ongoing, according to Bendar and Tarzia.

Mayor Peter Curatolo encouraged the Popcorn Park Zoo to apply for the animal control officer contract again next year.

Officials said that any residents who want to submit valid complaints about the current animal control officer can send respectful emails or letters to the contact information available on the Lacey Township website.

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