Keyport nonprofit has big dreams for rescued pets Castle of Dreams matches area owners with animals facing euthanization BY TAMMY McKILLIP Correspondent TAMMY MCKILLIP Jackie Hastings pets two of her fostered dogs, Poppie (white), a mixed-breed on anti-seizure medication, and shepherd-mix Coby. KEYPORT - Jackie Hastings needs a bigger castle. The financial analyst and founder of the nonprofit Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue organization says that she has outgrown the two-bedroom Wayside Street home she currently shares with five dogs - three of her own, plus two she is fostering. "I'm looking for a larger space," she said. She'd like a bigger house on a bigger lot, but because the town has a six-pet limit per household, her ultimate dream is a building where she and a full-time staff could provide shelter to the 250-400 homeless, abused and abandoned dogs her volunteers rescue each year. Since June 1993, Hastings, along with roughly 50 volunteers from Monmouth, Bergen and Hudson counties, have placed over 1,000 dogs in homes throughout the tristate area. "I've always loved dogs," she said. "I had a dog when I grew up, in Bayonne, and I volunteered to be a foster parent through another organization before starting Castle of Dreams." Hastings said volunteers from her organization join forces with rescuers from Georgia, Virginia, South and North Carolina and other Southeastern states to transport puppies and older dogs from "high-kill" shelters to the Northeast, where they have a better chance of being adopted. "We have an all-volunteer transport," she said. "We get in touch with people in different states online, and they take turns driving the pets a few hours each to bring them up." Hastings said many people in the southern states do not alter their pets, so there is an abundance of unwanted puppies in shelters there. To avoid overcrowding, the shelters regularly euthanize perfectly healthy and adoptable pets. "They put them to sleep all the time," she said. "Up here, people are always looking to adopt puppies, but there aren't as many puppies available. We bring puppies and older dogs to this area because they have a better chance of being adopted here." Hastings said she discourages people with small children from adopting a puppy and suggests they consider adopting an older dog with a good temperament instead. "People don't realize all the work that goes into having a puppy," she said. "There's training, housebreaking, stopping them from chewing. Puppies chew toys and shoes. A lot of older dogs don't get a chance because people want to get a puppy so that the dog can grow up with the child, but there are so many nice older dogs." Hastings said she wakes up weekdays at 5:30 a.m. to feed, walk and play with the dogs before commuting to her job in Jersey City. At night, she follows the same routine before spending time on the sofa with them, watching television and going to bed. She said that many of her volunteers contacted her through the Web site VolunteerMatch.org and that 95 percent of them work full-time jobs in addition to the hours they put into fostering and handling adoptions. She said her organization is "desperate" for foster families. "The more foster homes we have, the more puppies we can rescue," she said. "We need people to take puppies and older dogs into their homes and provide care for them until they are adopted. We provide all of the medical expenses and food." Hastings and her volunteers bring dogs to adoption days at local PetsMarts, in addition to posting adoptable pets on Petfinder.com and (800) Save-a-Pet. Potential adopters must fill out an application and provide references, as well as one vet reference. In addition to visiting the adopter's home, volunteers often follow-up with another visit at a later date to make sure the pet is well cared for. "We follow up a lot," she said. "We're still friends with many of our adopters, and we go visit them, years later." She said her organization's funding comes out of pocket and from adoption fees, which range from $150-300, depending on the age and physical state of the dog. All adopted dogs come with a $20 spay/neuter certificate and are dewormed and up-to-date on their shots. She also provides a goody bag to new owners, which contains donated pet-related items and toys. For more information on volunteering for, donating to or adopting from Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue, call (732) 765-8378, or visit castleofdreamsar@ yahoo.com.