Stoughton-Based Animal Rescue Team Collecting Donations for Hurricane Sandy Pet Shelter

Stoughton continues to step up for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, and this time, one Stoughton group has pets specifically in mind.

The Stoughton-based South Shore Disaster Animal Rescue Team (SSDART) is teaming up with the Cape Cod DART to collect much-needed animal supplies to transport to a New Jersey animal shelter where many four-legged friends remain after Sandy devastated the New York/New Jersey area.

SSDART will be collecting items this Saturday, Nov. 17 at 513 Canton St. in Stoughton from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., SSDART Team Leader Christopher D’Arpino, a Stoughton resident, said.

The Cape Cod DART will also be holding a drive Saturday. The items collected on the Cape will be loaded on a truck, brought up to Stoughton, and the items collected here will be added to it, and then the truck will make its way to the St. Hubert's Animal Shelter in North Branch, NJ.

D'Arpino said some of the items needed include:

• fleece blankets or towels
• animal comfort items
• dry and wet pet food
• chew toys
• peanut butter
• items to provide visual stimulation for cats
• disposable cat litter boxes fleece cat beds

D'Arpino said animal shelters could be open for another 60 days as NY/NJ residents deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. He said these animal shelters help take a burden off people who's homes have been condemned or are unlivable, and otherwise would have nowhere for their pet to go.

D'Arpino said it is "very rare" to see two regional animal organizations, SSDART and CCDART in this case, working together.

"It's awesome to be a part of," he said. "They do what they do well and we do what we do well and to complement each other is just awesome."

SSDART already has volunteers down in the NY/NJ region working at animal shelters, and in addition to transporting supplies this weekend, the group plans to send additional resources to the region in the coming weeks.