SOUTHERN OCEAN COUNTY – If you’re looking to adopt or surrender a pet in Southern Ocean County, there’s a temporary detour. The Southern Ocean County Animal Facility in Manahawkin has temporarily transferred its animals and services to the Barnegat Animal Facility, located at 20 Collinstown Road in Barnegat.
The Manahawkin facility closed its doors after business hours on November 3 to begin a series of major renovations. From now until March 1, 2025, residents can head to Barnegat for all adoptions, reclaims, and surrenders.
The shift comes as the Manahawkin shelter embarks on much-needed repairs to ensure a better environment for the pets and the people who care for them. Among the planned improvements, a new HVAC system will be installed to enhance climate control, which is particularly important for the comfort and health of the animals.
Additionally, a fresh layer of durable epoxy flooring is set to be applied throughout the facility to provide a long-lasting, easy-to-clean surface suited to the high-traffic shelter environment. These upgrades are part of ongoing efforts by the Ocean County Health Department to keep its facilities updated and functional. The department manages both the Manahawkin and Barnegat shelters, along with the Northern Ocean County Animal Facility in Jackson.
Brian Lippai, Chief of Administrative Services/Public Information for the Ocean County Health Department said animal control department were notified of the switch weeks before the Manahawkin facility’s temporary shut down on November 3. These departments regularly transport stray and abandoned animals to county shelter locations.
“The same animal control departments that use the Manahawkin shelter are now using Barnegat,” said Lippai. “This means we won’t have any more animals from other towns being impounded than we would typically at the Southern shelter.”
The Barnegat shelter is open to the public daily from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., excluding holidays. According to shelter staff, the facility can handle the same volume of animals as the Manahawkin location, and in some cases, even more. This flexibility helps make the transition smoother, ensuring that no animal or visitor is turned away during the months-long renovation project.
While a temporary relocation of operations might sound daunting, this is not the first time the shelter has had to move animals between facilities for renovations. In fact, this process has become fairly routine for Ocean County’s shelter network.
Last year, animals were temporarily relocated from Manahawkin to accommodate updates to its exam rooms, cabinetry, shelving, laundry area, and portions of its flooring. This move, also overseen by the Ocean County Health Department, went smoothly, which Lippai credited to the experience of the shelter staff in managing these types of transitions.
“Fortunately, the shelter staff is very comfortable now with this process whenever we’ve needed to have any work done that would require the animals to be temporarily moved,” he said.
The Barnegat facility is prepared to manage all the same services as Manahawkin, including animal adoptions and pet surrenders. Those interested in adopting are encouraged to check with the shelter regularly, as the number and type of animals available for adoption can change daily.
A recent visit by a reporter revealed a number of eager families hoping to bring home forever pets by adopting them from the relocated shelter in Barnegat.
Visitors can also schedule appointments for other services, including the free rabies vaccination clinic for pets, by calling the Barnegat facility directly at 609-978-0127.
