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Lacey Township police, responding to a 9-1-1 call about possible abandoned dogs, found their remains at the residence, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
Allissa DeStefano of Toms River was indicted by a county grand jury earlier this week on three counts of animal cruelty, Billhimer said on Friday.
On Nov. 11, 2019, police were called to a residence in Lacey Township on a report that dogs may have been abandoned,, Billhimer said.
The house was abandoned, the prosecutor said, and police found the remains of three dogs on the property.
An investigation by detectives from Lacey Township and the county Prosecutor’s Office found DeStefano was responsible for caring for the dogs and allegedly left them in the abandoned house, which resulted in their death, according to Billhimer.
DeStefano was arrested without incident, Billhimer said, and processed at the Lacey Township Police Department. She was released on a summons pending a future court date, he said.
Assistant Prosecutor Kimberly Carr is handling the case.
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