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Animal welfare

Bedroom Electrical Equipment Caused Toms River House Fire That Killed Two Cats: Firefighters Bedroom Electrical Equipment Caused Toms River House Fire That Killed Two Cats: Firefighters
Bedroom Electrical Equipment Caused Toms River House Fire That Killed Two Cats: Firefighters A family of two people were without a home and two of their cats died in a house fire in Toms River, authorities said. Firefighters responded to the home on South Gateway at around 9:05 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1, the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention said in a news release. No people were in the house during the two-alarm fire. Crews found heavy smoke and fire coming from a second-story bedroom. Two cats inside the home were killed and a neighbor was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. Investigators said the fire was caused by energized electrical equipment failing in the…
Jersey Shore Man Who Had 157 Cats At Home Indicted, Prosecutors Say Jersey Shore Man Who Had 157 Cats At Home Indicted, Prosecutors Say
Jersey Shore Man Who Had 157 Cats At Home Indicted, Prosecutors Say A Brick Township man was indicted after more than 150 cats were found in his home, authorities said. A grand jury indicted 56-year-old Jeffrey Finlay on Wednesday, Aug. 28 for 149 counts of animal cruelty, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Finlay called Brick police to help remove the animals from his house on Thursday, May 4, 2023. Officers found about 157 cats and three dogs at the Mantoloking Road home. It took crews about 24 hours for the pets to be removed and brought to county animal facilities for treatment. Finlay was first charge…
Intruder Breaks Into Tiger Enclosure, Nearly Gets Bitten At South Jersey Zoo (VIDEO) Intruder Breaks Into Tiger Enclosure, Nearly Gets Bitten At South Jersey Zoo (VIDEO)
Intruder Breaks Into Tiger Enclosure, Nearly Gets Bitten At South Jersey Zoo (Video) Police in South Jersey are seeking the public's help in identifying and locating a woman who hopped the fence at a local zoo to interact with a tiger. Video shared by Bridgeton police on Tuesday, Aug. 20 shows the incident from the tiger exhibit at the Cohanzick Zoo. Officers didn't say when the incident happened. The 16-second clip shows the female putting her hand through wire fencing and trying to pet the tiger. The big cat then appears to try biting the female's hand and starts frantically pacing. The female then backs away from the wiring and climbs back over the wooden fence on the o…
Cruel Man Who Hurled Dogs Over Fence Of NJ Animal Shelter Arrested, Police Say Cruel Man Who Hurled Dogs Over Fence Of NJ Animal Shelter Arrested, Police Say
Cruel Man Who Hurled Dogs Over Fence Of NJ Animal Shelter Arrested, Police Say The man seen hurling dogs over the fence of the Atlantic County Animal Shelter has been arrested, police said, Jahlil McNeal, 23, of Atlantic City, was identified by city police as the man captured in disturbing footage throwing dogs over the fence at the county animal shelter and leaving. McNeal has been charged with four counts of cruelty to animals, failure to provide care to animals, two counts theft of services, and witness tampering. McNeal first abandoned an animal at the shelter after hours on July 15, police said. ACPD's Humane Law Enforcement Officer, Matthew Schmidt, initia…
South Jersey Cockfighting Ringleader Pleads Guilty To Animal Cruelty Charges, Prosecutors Say South Jersey Cockfighting Ringleader Pleads Guilty To Animal Cruelty Charges, Prosecutors Say
South Jersey Cockfighting Ringleader Pleads Guilty To Animal Cruelty Charges, Prosecutors Say An Egg Harbor City man admitted to running an elaborate cockfighting ring at his home, authorities said. Jose Madera, 33, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Aug. 6 to several animal cruelty charges and other offenses, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. A judge had ordered him to remain in jail to await a trial on Tuesday, Mar. 19. Prosecutors said Madera's plea deal calls for him to spend 364 days in county jail and receive up to five years of probation. He would also be banned from owning animals or living with them. Galloway Township police uncovered t…
Pumpkin-Snacking Snow Leopard Dies After Spending Senior Years At Jersey Shore Animal Refuge Pumpkin-Snacking Snow Leopard Dies After Spending Senior Years At Jersey Shore Animal Refuge
Pumpkin-Snacking Snow Leopard Dies After Spending Senior Years At Jersey Shore Animal Refuge An elderly snow leopard has died after spending about four years at an Ocean County animal sanctuary, officials said. A male snow leopard named Ty died from old age, Popcorn Park Animal Refuge said in a Facebook post on Thursday, Aug. 1. He was 14 years old when he arrived at the Lacey Township sanctuary in 2020. Popcorn Park said it was honored to care for Ty in his final years. "It is a privilege to provide refuge for animals in their golden years, those with medical needs, and any animal in need that comes through our doors," the park said. "Ty was a very special senior b…
Cheetah Dies At Jersey Shore Zoo, Remembered For 'Sass' And Boldness Cheetah Dies At Jersey Shore Zoo, Remembered For 'Sass' And Boldness
Cheetah Dies At Jersey Shore Zoo, Remembered For 'Sass' And Boldness A cheetah has died after living at the Cape May County Park and Zoo for more than a decade, officials said. Buju, a 12-year-old cheetah, died from kidney disease, the zoo said in a Facebook post on Monday, July 29. He and his brother Beenie arrived at the Cape May Court House park in November 2013. The zoo said staff members will miss Buju's "sass." "Buju’s favorite activity was lying in the shade in the middle of the yard with his brother, Beenie," the zoo posted. "They often mirrored each other, looking like bookends. As the bolder cheetah brother, he would often be first to investigate …
Atlantic City Woman With Badly Malnourished Dog Convicted Of Animal Cruelty: Prosecutors Atlantic City Woman With Badly Malnourished Dog Convicted Of Animal Cruelty: Prosecutors
Atlantic City Woman With Badly Malnourished Dog Convicted Of Animal Cruelty: Prosecutors An Atlantic City woman was convicted of animal cruelty after her dog was found badly malnourished and with skin conditions, authorities said. A jury found 35-year-old Monique Tolbert guilty on Wednesday, July 17 of third-degree animal cruelty, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release.  Tolbert called Atlantic City police to give up her dog named Handsome on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. When officers arrived, they found the emaciated and dehydrated dog wandering the hallway of Tolbert's apartment building without a collar. Handsome was brought to the H…
Woman Convicted After Five Pets Found In 'Deplorable' Conditions In South Jersey: Prosecutors Woman Convicted After Five Pets Found In 'Deplorable' Conditions In South Jersey: Prosecutors
Woman Convicted After Five Pets Found In 'Deplorable' Conditions In South Jersey: Prosecutors A former Galloway Township woman was convicted of having five pets living in "deplorable" conditions, authorities said. Lisa Monzo, 59, was found guilty on Monday, June 17 of five counts of fourth-degree animal cruelty, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release on Thursday, June 20. The conviction came after a bench trial in superior court. Galloway police and the county sheriff's office found a dog, two cats, and two birds in Monzo's home on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. Investigators said the animals were in "deplorable" living conditions, with no fresh water or edible food. …
Jersey City Police Lieutenant's Cremation To Follow Saturday Funeral Mass Jersey City Police Lieutenant's Cremation To Follow Saturday Funeral Mass
Jersey City Police Lieutenant's Cremation To Follow Saturday Funeral Mass She devoted her life to those in need and put others first. She was "the glue that held her family and friends together." And at only 44 years old, Jersey City Police Lt. Marina Angelica Ugolini is gone far too soon. Ugolini died Tuesday evening, May 28. The 19-year department veteran, who was promoted to lieutenant six years ago this month, worked in the city's North District. Ugolini was an alumnus of Jersey City Medical Center and Ambucar EMS who "took pride in helping people by devoting her life to serving those in need," her obituary says. "She transported the first medical …
Emaciated Dog Among 120 Rescued From NJ Compound, New Litter Of 6 Almost Ready For Adoption Emaciated Dog Among 120 Rescued From NJ Compound, New Litter Of 6 Almost Ready For Adoption
Emaciated Dog Among 120 Rescued From NJ Compound, New Litter Of 6 Almost Ready For Adoption Kirsten Peek remembers the first time she laid eyes on Janet Jackson. "She was very friendly, eager for attention," said Peek, the public informations officer for the Humane Society of the United States.  "She was standing at the edge of this baron kennel [in Cumberland County] wagging her tail, giving 'pet me' eyes. I could see everyone one of her vertebrae and hip bones over a huge, pregnant belly." Janet Jackson was among 120 abused dogs rescued from a large-scale nationally-known dogfighting enterprise run by a convicted Atlantic County druglord on April 3, as previously repo…
Beloved Lion With 'Majestic Roar' Dies After 10 Years At South Jersey Animal Refuge Beloved Lion With 'Majestic Roar' Dies After 10 Years At South Jersey Animal Refuge
Beloved Lion With 'Majestic Roar' Dies After 10 Years At South Jersey Animal Refuge A beloved lion has died after spending a decade in the care of an Ocean County animal refuge. Simba died "after a very long and full life" at Popcorn Park Animal Refuge, the Lacey Township sanctuary announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday, Apr. 30. He was brought to the park with three other big cats in 2014. Popcorn Park said Simba was among several animals that needed care after their owner in Alabama became sick and could no longer help them. "Simba was very personable and when we'd walk by he'd always get up to greet us," Popcorn Park executive director John Bergmann said in a sta…
Blind 'One-Of-A-Kind' Kangaroo At Popcorn Park Animal Refuge Dies Blind 'One-Of-A-Kind' Kangaroo At Popcorn Park Animal Refuge Dies
Blind 'One-Of-a-kind' Kangaroo At Popcorn Park Animal Refuge Dies A blind kangaroo who was beloved at an Ocean County animal refuge has died, officials said. The red kangaroo named Winnie died after receiving care for "a myriad of health issues" at Popcorn Park Animal Refuge, the park said in a Facebook post on Wednesday, Apr. 18. Winnie arrived at the Lacey Township sanctuary in June 2022. Popcorn Park caretakers gave Winnie daily medicine and special veterinary visits so she could have "a peaceful, loving home." "However, throughout the past few weeks, her health began to decline, and unfortunately she was not responding to any medications or…
Trenton Animal Shelter Taken Over By City Police Department Trenton Animal Shelter Taken Over By City Police Department
Trenton Animal Shelter Taken Over By City Police Department Trenton Animal Shelter will now be overseen by the city's police department. The reorganization is part of an executive order meant to strengthen management and ease overcrowding. Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora's executive order also creates a new five-member animal welfare advisory board. Trenton Police Lt. Alexis Durlacher will call the shots as the shelter’s new chief. Durlacher has had past animal control experience, the mayor said. Animal welfare, adoption services, pet ownership education and humane animal control enforcement will be among the priorities, the mayor said. "The welfare …
Accused South Jersey Cockfighting Ringleader Ordered To Stay In Jail: Prosecutors Accused South Jersey Cockfighting Ringleader Ordered To Stay In Jail: Prosecutors
Accused South Jersey Cockfighting Ringleader Ordered To Stay In Jail: Prosecutors A South Jersey man accused of running an elaborate cockfighting ring at his home will stay in jail until his trial. A judge ordered 33-year-old Jose Madera of Egg Harbor City to remain detained pending trial on Tuesday, Mar. 19, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. Madera was charged with several animal cruelty offenses, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, destruction of evidence, and resisting arrest. Galloway Township police uncovered the cockfighting operation at a home on the 300 block of South Bremen Avenue on Saturday, Mar. 9. Madera and 51 …
'Majestic And Beautiful' Tiger At South Jersey Animal Refuge Dies 'Majestic And Beautiful' Tiger At South Jersey Animal Refuge Dies
'Majestic And Beautiful' Tiger At South Jersey Animal Refuge Dies A beloved tiger has died after spending eight years at an Ocean County animal sanctuary, officials said. Eli the tiger died after his health declined in recent weeks, Popcorn Park Animal Refuge announced in a Facebook post on Wednesday, Mar. 6. The tiger experienced "discomfort and decreased mobility" despite the efforts of the veterinarians at the Lacey Township sanctuary. Eli and his sister Jess arrived at Popcorn Park in December 2016. "After exhausting all options and considering his quality of life, we made the difficult decision to say goodbye," Popcorn Park's post said. "His days we…
𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: More Than 90 Dogs, Pups Removed From NJ Home, Couple Charged 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: More Than 90 Dogs, Pups Removed From NJ Home, Couple Charged
𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: More Than 90 Dogs, Pups Removed From NJ Home, Couple Charged UPDATE: The ASPCA said on Wednesday that it helped remove more than 90 adult dogs and puppies from the Sussex County home of a self-described animal rescue couple who were charged with multiple cruelty-related counts. Two dogs were found dead during a 7 a.m. raid at a Vernon Township home led by the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, Feb. 20, authorities reported. Both Gizela Juric, who founded the Angels for Animals Network in Cliffside Park before moving it to Sussex County, and her boyfriend, Ronald Colgan, were charged with six criminal animal cruelty accounts, the American S…
20 Cats Rescued From Bug-Infested Jersey Shore Apartment: Officials 20 Cats Rescued From Bug-Infested Jersey Shore Apartment: Officials
20 Cats Rescued From Bug-Infested Jersey Shore Apartment: Officials Twenty cats — some with eye ulcers and respiratory problems — were rescued from a bug-infested apartment in Monmouth County, authorities said. Monmouth County SPCA Humane Law Enforcement received an anonymous tip on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The apartment in Neptune had two adults, and two children, ages 6 and 3 also living there.  Many of the cats were found to have had upper respiratory infections, eye ulcers, some with dental disease, and were all very scared upon intake, but generally in fair health, the SPCA said on Facebook. While wearing full protection gear, and after several hours o…
Alligator In Plastic Container Dumped At Jersey Shore Alligator In Plastic Container Dumped At Jersey Shore
Alligator In Plastic Container Dumped At Jersey Shore A young alligator in a plastic container was found abandoned in an empty lot at the Jersey Shore, authorities said. A resident of Bangs Avenue in Neptune made the heartbreaking discovery and called the Monmouth County SPCA Sunday, Jan. 15, the organization said. The young alligator was brought back to the shelter and given a clean tank that allowed proper air circulation and is being kept in a climate-controlled area. The alligator will be transferred to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife shortly. Keeping alligators and caimans as pets in New Jersey is illegal and a danger to the…
New York Bans Pet Stores From Selling Dogs, Cats, Rabbits New York Bans Pet Stores From Selling Dogs, Cats, Rabbits
New York Bans Pet Stores From Selling Dogs, Cats, Rabbits In an effort to end the "puppy mill pipeline," New York has banned pet stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits.  The legislation, which was signed into law on Thursday, Dec. 15, will prohibit the sale of these animals in pet stores across the state and instead encourage them to make space available to show pets up for adoption, according to Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, a Democrat who represents District 67 in Manhattan.  The ban comes as many pet stores across the nation have stopped selling live animals and have instead turned to selling items that pet owners need …
Martha Stewart's Cat Killed By Her Four Dogs In Northern Westchester Martha Stewart's Cat Killed By Her Four Dogs In Northern Westchester
Martha Stewart's Cat Killed By Her Four Dogs In Northern Westchester Martha Stewart is mourning the death of one of her fluffy cats named Princess Peony after she was killed by her four dogs in New York. On Sunday, March 3, Stewart posted to Instagram the news that her dogs mistook the "unusual" cat on her 153-acre farm located in Northern Westchester County in the hamlet of Katonah. She wrote: "burying the beautiful and unusual Princess Peony, the four dogs mistook her for an interloper and killed her defenseless little self. I will miss her very badly. RIP beauty" Stewart also posted a picture of Princess Peony to remember her friend, telling followers, …
Dozen Pets Rescued From Passaic County Owner's Side Days After Death Dozen Pets Rescued From Passaic County Owner's Side Days After Death
Dozen Pets Rescued From Passaic County Owner's Side Days After Death Eleven dogs and one cat were rescued from their owner’s side days after she passed away in her Passaic County home, officials said. The Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge (RBARI) and Second Chance Pet Adoption League joined forces to bring in the dozen animals in the "distressing" animal welfare situation in Haledon, rescuers said in a news release. "The owner of these twelve desperate animals had passed away days before they were discovered," officials said.  "When police arrived for a welfare check, they were shocked by the living conditions in the small, packed apartment. While their person l…
VIDEO: Bergen Animal Shelter Worker Seen Abandoning Kitten VIDEO: Bergen Animal Shelter Worker Seen Abandoning Kitten
Video: Bergen Animal Shelter Worker Seen Abandoning Kitten Authorities are investigating the actions of an animal shelter caretaker caught on home security video abandoning a kitten on a Bergen County street. Ring video (see below) shows the Bergen County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center volunteer pulling up in an SUV and leaving the kitten on a snow-shoveled sidewalk on Diamond Way in Moonachie shortly before 2:30 p.m. this past Sunday. There apparently is a colony of strays up the street, which may explain why the woman dropped the cat in that neighborhood. The homeowner, Barbara Morales, said she scooped up the kitten, returned her to the sh…
Video Shows Pet Owner Leaving Guinea Pig For Dead In NJ Video Shows Pet Owner Leaving Guinea Pig For Dead In NJ
Video Shows Pet Owner Leaving Guinea Pig For Dead In NJ The Hopatcong Animal Shelter is attempting to track down the person who was caught on surveillance footage before dawn Tuesday abandoning a guinea pig outside a local home without food or water. The animal was left in front of a home on Larson Trail in Hopatcong just after 4:40 a.m., according to a post on the shelter’s official Facebook page: 📣Looking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual in this video. At approximately 4:41am on September... Posted by Hopatcong Animal Shelter on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 The guinea pig was left without food or water, along with…
More Than 100 Neglected Cats Rescued From NJ Hoarding Situation More Than 100 Neglected Cats Rescued From NJ Hoarding Situation
More Than 100 Neglected Cats Rescued From NJ Hoarding Situation More than 100 neglected cats were rescued from a hoarding situation at a home in South Bound Brook, rescue officials said. Animal control officers from St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center were called in to assist local police after a neighbor complained about a foul odor coming from the home, St Hubert's said.  Dozens of cats and kittens were subsequently found living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, officials said. The unidentified resident surrendered custody of the cats to St. Hubert’s. Animal control officers began removing cats from the home on Wednesday, June 2 and Thursday, …
SEEN ANYTHING? Monmouth SPCA Looks For Woman Who Ditched 20 Cats Without Food, Water SEEN ANYTHING? Monmouth SPCA Looks For Woman Who Ditched 20 Cats Without Food, Water
Seen Anything? Monmouth SPCA Looks For Woman Who Ditched 20 Cats Without Food, Water The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seeks the public's help in locating a woman who dropped 20 cats outside its Monmouth County shelter on Saturday. "All 20 of the cats were stuffed into 2 crates without food or water & a note that said their caretaker had passed away," the Monmouth County SPCA said on Facebook. The cats were safely brought inside the SPCA's building on Wall Street in Eatontown.  "We understand that this individual was trying to do the right thing," the SPCA said in its post. "However it is totally inappropriate and unsafe to abandon animals outsi…
60 Dogs Rescued In Central Jersey Need Care, Foster Homes 60 Dogs Rescued In Central Jersey Need Care, Foster Homes
60 Dogs Rescued In Central Jersey Need Care, Foster Homes More than 60 small dogs were rescued from a home in Central Jersey on Monday, authorities said. Many of the dogs and newborn pups need grooming, medical care and foster homes, the MCSPCA said in a statement and on its Facebook page. The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MCSPCA) saved the  dogs from from living in “horrific conditions.” at a home in the Belford section of Middletown, the MCSPCA said. Several pregnant dogs were recovered, along with newborn puppies that were hours old, the MCSPCA said. “Many of these poor animals were so matted in t…
Nuts For Henry: Maywood Mom Spends Quarantine Feeding Injured Neighborhood Squirrels Nuts For Henry: Maywood Mom Spends Quarantine Feeding Injured Neighborhood Squirrels
Nuts For Henry: Maywood Mom Spends Quarantine Feeding Injured Neighborhood Squirrels Susan Werbacher is the first to admit it: She's nuts for Henry. And she wouldn't have met him or his squirrel friends if it wasn't for the coronavirus quarantine she says. Before the shutdown, the mom of two woke up at 4 a.m., and spent two hours at the gym. But when the stay-at-home order was imposed, she spent that time taking walks around her apartment complex, and at-home workouts, instead. One day in late March, Susan was doing cardio outside when she saw a squirrel with half a tail scampering across her apartment complex's courtyard. "I wanted to get a closer look to see if I neede…
Lightning Strike Fire Engulfs Jersey Shore Home Lightning Strike Fire Engulfs Jersey Shore Home
Lightning Strike Fire Engulfs Jersey Shore Home UPDATE: A lightning strike Wednesday ignited a fire that destroyed a Jersey Shore home and killed several pets. Two cats, a bird and several reptiles died in the Beckerville Road fire, which broke out in the 1½-story ranch house shortly before 3 p.m., Manchester Township police said. Responders included firefighters from Whiting, Manchester, Ridgeway, Forked River, Lakehurst, Cassville and Whitesville, as well as Manchester Township EMS and police. No injuries were reported. The American Red Cross found temporary lodging and provided supplies to the family.