NEWARK, N.J. (1010 WIN) — Monkey, a Jack Russell terrier who was spotted running on the highways near Newark Liberty International Airport for weeks on end, has been rescued, according to a New Jersey animal rescue.
According to the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, who has been sharing Monkey’s journey on social media, it took weeks for a professional trapper with Buddha Dog Rescue & Recovery to catch the frightened dog, who is not the first Jack Russell terrier to be dumped in the area in recent months.
“Even more unexpectedly, it only took minutes for this adorable dog to warm up to human touch, despite evading rescuers for so long,” the organization wrote on Facebook.
Monkey, whose origin is still unknown, was treated for fleas, ticks and parasites upon arrival at the rescue. He also underwent a thorough examination and received vaccinations.
Megan Brinster, executive director of the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, told 1010 WINS that as of now, Monkey is still adjusting to the comfort of the refuge after his former, overwhelming circumstances.
“For him it’s been a whirlwind of ‘I’m dumped in an area,’ and obviously if you’ve been to Newark Airport area, it’s really crowded, it’s really loud, there’s tons of roads there,” Brinster said. “But now he’s here, he’s in a totally different environment. So we’re just working on really basic trust with him.”
Brinster said that the caretakers are easing Monkey into trust exercises as he continues to relax and come out of his shell.
In another post, the refuge said that Monkey was first introduced to the office dog CC, who reassured him that gentle scratches or that sitting in a safe lap was good. Their playdates were the beginning of his socialization training, and other enrichment items like Kongs and music are helping build his comfort.
“We don’t have him for adoption where you can come and get him, you know, quickly, but we are accepting applications on him, so that way once he is available, we’ll have all those applications ready and we can start the process,” Brinster said.
The refuge emphasized that “the rescue of local animals in [the] community goes beyond the initial critical days,” and is asking for donations to help its mission of saving other homeless, abused or neglected animals.
“Not only does he get a second chance and this amazing dog gets to have the life that we would all want for him, but it just shows how really at their core people can be really caring and be really good together,” Brinster said.
Anyone with information on Monkey’s previous owners or where he came from is asked to contact the local police.
