Easel: volunteers fighting homelessness

Mark Phillips, executive director of Easel Animal Rescue League, shelters two feral kittens and two older feral cats in his office.

He hopes the kittens – now in a big multi-level big wire cage -- can be socialized; he doubts that can happen with the older cats, who may not have been caught in time to learn to trust people. They’re “at large” but typically invisible in the two rooms he can close off from the rest of his business.

Regarding cat adoptions – now underway everywhere because this is the height of the “kitten season” – Phillips says, “It’s the cat, it’s not the group [behind the adoption].” His purpose is “to get animals adopted” from the huge adoption pool; he’s not about having to take credit.

Most of Easel’s adoptions result from internet contacts. There’s Petfinder.com and Adoptapet.com, Phillips says. And every couple months, he prints out color posters showing 10 cats and 10 dogs in the Ewing shelter that are displayed at markets and other sites.

If people who respond arrive too late for specific animals, there are many others to choose from.

As all-volunteer Easel continues working toward its own shelter, the focus is on the Ewing site. Only kittens are fostered.

Organization members also take animals for adoption to PetSmart and PETCO (whose foundation Phillips lauds), as well as Rosedale Mills and Cutter’s Mill (whose generous manager he also praises).

Even if animals aren’t adopted at these stores, “It’s a good day for those dogs,” he says: “They get out of the shelter.”

(See February 23 post about Easel – www.EaselNJ.org)
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It happened last night

No one spoke against an animal shelter and only a few people raised road block-questions or proposed far-out alternatives. The only real problem, and it's a biggie: after about two hours of discussion, the Hopewell Township committee reached no decision about an animal shelter.

Now what?

The presentation made by Easel's ED Mark Phillips about a regional no-kill animal shelter in Hopewell was meant to strengthen possible wobblers on the committee. At some points, though, it seemed as if everyone was wobbling and everything was in flux.

Unfortunately, time limits didn't seem to exist, and committee members who wandered off the track were not called back by the mayor, who (nominally) ran the meeting. So it went on and on.

Toward the end, one committee member said the group should first decide whether they want a regional shelter and only after that, decide how to do it. Unfortunately, she wasn't running the meeting.

Now what?
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A new look at Easel . . .

“Meanwhile, back in NJ. . . ,” the post for Feb. 14, mentioned new leadership for E.A.S.E.L. Yesterday I talked with Mark Phillips, executive director of what is now known as Easel Animal Rescue League – “an all-volunteer, community-based 501 [c](3) animal care organization.”

With Easel since its 2008 beginning, Phillips conveys “can-do” and comfort about dealing with people who have different opinions. He says the organization has some 50 members, with a core group of 10-12 in that total.

Volunteers and board members meet monthly, and there are also four adoption days each month – at Cutter’s Mill, Princeton; PETCO, Lawrence Township; PetSmart, West Windsor; and Rosedale Mills, Pennington.

Next month’s a special fundraiser at Trenton Country Club “to benefit homeless animals and help build a regional animal shelter in Mercer County”: Casino Night, Saturday, March 26, 6-11 pm; $75 per person. Register at www.easelnj.org or phone 609-883-0540.

Then on Saturday, April 23, comes a casino bus trip to Resorts “to help support the cats and dogs at the Ewing Animal Shelter.” For info or tickets ($30, before March 30), phone Carol Revilla (609-883-4426) or email Sticker513@aol.com.

Before all that, there’s next Monday night’s meeting of the Hopewell Township Council at 7 pm. At some point (not now known) during that session, Phillips will “re-make Easel’s case to council members for a regional animal shelter.” Supporters of Easel and the shelter idea are invited to attend.

For details and more information, that website again: www.easelnj.org.
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