Bloomfield Animal Rescuers' Van Stolen, $1K Reward Offered

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Some called the big red van belonging to local animal rescue group Forgotten Tails Inc. the “Freedom Ride.” And to many abandoned, forgotten and in-need dogs and cats in the Bloomfield area, it represented hope… until someone stole it.

Eileen McDonald and Thomas Patterson, co-founders of the family-run, nonprofit animal rescue in Essex County, recently reached out to the community with a plea: Help us find our van, and we’ll give you a $1,000 reward.

The theft took place on Monday, Oct. 22 at 3:30 a.m., right in front of their Bloomfield home on New Street, the pair said. They described the 15-passenger van as a 2001 Ford e350 v10, with license plate: N51-JGA (see below photos).

“We just did an adoption event on Sunday and all the rescue's equipment, t-shirts, tables, tent, food and donated goodies were in it at the time,” Patterson said.

McDonald told Patch that she and Patterson are offering a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to the recovery of their van. People with tips can contact them at forgottentailsinc@gmail.com

SEEKING ‘CLIFFORD’

It may seem humble, but the vehicle was an irreplaceable component of their rescue’s day to day operations, he added.

According to Patterson:

“This van was used for saving and transporting many animals in need, trips back and forth to vet appointments, adoption events, meet and greets, training sessions, picking up donations not only for our group but also helping other local rescues and shelters whenever we could lend a helping hand. It was also used to help local feral cat projects in transporting outdoor shelters. On two occasions this year we also drove a couple sweet bullies to Morristown Airport for their flight to their new forever homes. Most importantly this van was the first leg to a fresh start to a new life for many abused and neglected souls left behind in local shelters, abandoned and forgotten for countless reasons.”

The van was an integral part of what Forgotten Tails does, and yes, the pooches loved it.

“It was the perfect vehicle for us,” Patterson recalled. “We even named it ‘Clifford’ after the big red dog.”

The worst part about the theft is that the dogs and cats who need their help are the ones who will suffer, Patterson said.

“Our rescue has limited resources, but we manage financially through public donations, fundraising and our own personal contributions,” he told Patch. “Most of the dogs we rescue come from our local inner-city shelter and neighboring communities. They've all had a rough start in life.”

Patterson said that he and McDonald are “heartbroken” over the incident, as the van had no theft coverage. But there may be a ray of light in an otherwise dark time, he added: the community spirit inherent to Essex County.

“Our volunteers and our animal community are pitching in to help in any way they can,” he said. “They have even started a GoFundMe page through social media.” (See the fundraising campaign here)

“This was a hard hit for us but regardless we'll keep praying for a good outcome,” Patterson said. “In the meantime, we have more dogs to save, adoption events and much work to be done.”

A Bloomfield Police Department spokesperson said Tuesday that the missing van is still entered NCIC stolen and has not been recovered yet.

“This incident is actively under investigation by the Detective Bureau and they are following up on several leads,” the spokesperson said.

Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch Bloomfield Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photos courtesy of Forgotten Tails Inc.