Toms River Pulls Mayor’s Plan to Hire Local Exterminator to Replace Dog Catchers

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TOMS RIVER, NJ—The Toms River Township administration presented a contract for council vote on Wednesday night to replace its animal control officers with an extermination company based in Howell Township.

The move was part of Mayor Dan Rodrick’s plan to downsize, outsource, and eventually switch control of animal control and shelter operations to Ocean County.

Animal control officers at the Toms River Animal Shelter spoke on behalf of their service to the residents of Toms River and their daily duties of rescuing lost dogs, securing aggressive animals, and transporting animals.

Rodrick and Business Administrator Jon Salonis sought to outsource the animal control department to A-Advance Termite and Pest Control, a company that specializes in termite control and the removal of snakes, raccoons, rats, mice, moles, coyotes, and foxes, according to its website.

Residents spoke out against outsourcing the service to a company that reportedly has two animal control officers but also provides services to Brick Township, Beachwood, Island Heights, and Lacey Township. They were worried about response time, saying Toms River animal control officers not only respond within 10 minutes to calls but that township employees working animal control have a vested interest in the community and properly care for and collect lost dogs and cats so they could be returned to their owners.

The company was founded in 1996, but residents expressed concerns over their ability to provide the same level of service.

Under the agreement, the company would charge the township $200 per animal caught.

Councilman Tom Nivison agreed with the residents and requested that the resolution be tabled or removed from the agenda until further discussion can be had. Councilman Justin Lamb was the lone dissenting vote in not hiring the exterminator for local pet retrieval and outsourcing the animal control department.