How the Hopatcong Borough Pound Became an Orphaned Building

The Hopatcong Borough Animal Pound Building is closed and it’s in need of major renovations before it can open its doors again. Hopatcong is a Borough that has a history of deep love and compassion for its animals. Hopatcong has two 501c organizations that shelters and cares for domestic animals – the Hopatcong Pound Project that takes in lost cats and One Step Closer Animal Rescue (O.S.A.R.) that specializes in dog shelter care and adoption.

So how did Hopatcong’s own municipal run animal facility get to be in such a poor state of affairs?
The answer may lie on political party politics rather than on the lack of taxpayer funding. In 2012 the Hopatcong Health Department citizen committee was dismantled by Mayor Sylvia Petillo. The Hopatcong – Sparta Patch gave a balanced news report on March 27^th 2012 by Brendan Kuty of the two opposing sides the article was entitled: Petillo, Klein Argue Over Health Board's Fate - Hopatcong Mayor Sylvia Petillo says she sees a new health advisory committee would revitalize public health outreach. But Councilwoman Estelle Klein says the council just wants to run the board of health.

Here are Patch’s reported counter arguments opposing Mayor Petillo’s petition for Sussex County Program Controlled Health Department:
Board of health Vice President Thomas Forbes said he disagreed with Petillo's characterization of the board as indifferent to community outreach. Forbes said Monday's meeting, which he only learned about Sunday through a reporter, "was rallied in haste. There was no discussion with those involved or who was affected."

"And [the meeting] only served to further divide and alienate the board of health, the administration and, more importantly, the borough residents, who don't deserve that," Forbes said. "So, personally, I fail to see how this action that you're currently discussing in any way serves the interest and the needs and the trust of our community."

Klein said she opposed the moves because they signaled "the end of the board of health as we know it."

"The board of health is going to become a clone of the council,"