FRIENDS of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter is a nonprofit, 501 (c)(3) tax-deductible charity, that was founded in 1990. We are an all-volunteer organization that is dedicated to the health and welfare of Ocean County, N.J. cats, kittens and dogs.
As our name implies, we have a close relationship with the county-run shelter in Manahawkin where our team of amazing volunteers walks dogs, fosters and socializes cats and kittens, assists in adoptions and arranges additional veterinary care when needed (that the FRIENDS pays for). You could say that if there is anything that will enhance the health and welfare of a shelter animal, our volunteers are there!
Over the years, FRIENDS has extended its reach beyond just helping shelter pets waiting for their new homes to include a robust kitten “bottle baby” foster program and a very successful trap, neuter and return (TNR) plan that began in Long Beach Island in February of 2012. Some of our successes include:
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Our TNR programs, which have worked with Popcorn Park Zoo, and Barnegat and Stafford veterinary hospitals to sterilize, vaccinate, chip, and either return to their colony locations or adopt out hundreds of feral cats and kittens on both LBI and the mainland.
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Our kitten bottle baby foster program, launched in 2013, which gives the tiniest of kittens a chance to survive and find happy homes.
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Our cat foster program, which takes cats who are not doing well in the shelter environment into the loving homes of our volunteers until they can be adopted.
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Our dog rescue program, which provides transport and financial backing to relocate dogs who are not thriving in the shelter environment to rescue organizations, where they will have a much better chance of being adopted.
All of the funding for these programs have been provided through grants and the kind 
donations of Ocean County residents.
Please help us continue our work by making a donation. If you are interested in becoming a FRIENDS volunteer, check out this page, and if you have any questions about our TNR program, you can reach us at this address: LBITNR@hotmail.com
At the heart of all our ventures is the belief that everyone deserves a second chance for a happy life. Your continued donations of both time and money have provided more second chances to more deserving pets than you will ever know. We hope you will continue to help us in making our part of the world a better place for dogs, cats and kittens.
Dottie Reynolds, President