Abandoned puppy saved from side of road. Who tossed aside this 'skin and bones' pup?
NEPTUNE - In the latest case of animal cruelty in Monmouth County, someone left a starving puppy on the side of a road, struggling to breathe and so emaciated, she was unable to lift her head, according to the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The SPCA's animal control division got a call late Sunday night about a puppy abandoned in the area of Myrtle Avenue here, the SPCA said in an email.
Their animal control officers responded and took custody of the emaciated, eight-week old puppy.
'What we saw was beyond words,'' the SPCA said in the email. "Skin and bones, labored breathing and unable to lift her head, a puppy we've named "Matilda' was on the brink of death.''
Matilda was rushed to the SPCA's shelter in Eatontown for urgent medical care.
"She was shaking and whimpering, and we weren't sure she was going to make it,'' the SPCA said.
Workers wrapped the puppy in blankets and began giving her intravenous fluids.
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"Matilda has been minimally responsive to our care and she's still in critical condition, but we're doing our absolute best to keep her comfortable,'' the SPCA said in the email.
The agency's Humane Law Enforcement Division is looking for anyone who may have information on where Matilda is from and what happened to her, "so that we can investigate this cruel act,'' the SPCA said.
“This type of senseless neglect always shakes us to our core, especially in our own community," said Monmouth County SPCA Executive Director Ross Licitra, who is also its former chief of humane law enforcement. "We are working closely with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office in an investigation so that we can bring justice to Matilda. We will not tolerate animal cruelty.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the Humane Law Enforcement Division at 732-440-1539.
Meanwhile, the SPCA will continue to help Matilda on her long road ahead and assist other animals that have been abandoned, neglected or abused.
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Matilda is not the only recent case of animal abuse. Earlier this month, a Howell man was accused of intentionally killing his pet cat, Lilith, with a sharp instrument. Christopher Sanchez, 29, is charged with third-degree animal cruelty in that case.
In March, Bani J. Mezquititla, 18, of Asbury Park was charged with animal cruelty, accused of raping and torturing his pet cat, Ellie, over a period of months, eventually killing her. Authorities allege Mezquititla had sexual intercourse with the feline, sexually abused her with a pencil and restrained the pet with miniature handcuffs while he repeatedly tortured her with a pulley device, eventually strangling her.
In addition to the animal cruelty cases in Monmouth County, there have been several recent cases in Ocean County involving severe animal hoarding.
Aimee Lonczak, 49, and Michele Nycz, 58, are charged with animal cruelty as well as child neglect after authorities in December found 135 dogs and 45 cats living in filth, along with Lonczak's 16-year-old daughter, in the women's home on Arrowhead Park Drive in Brick.
More recently, authorities removed 133 animals — cats and dogs — from a home on Mantoloking Road in Brick Thursday, resulting in disorderly persons charges against the homeowner, Jeffery Finlay.
Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Monmouth police, SPCA want answers about 'skin and bone' puppy
