Two raccoons trapped in a cage in a New Milford backyard were found Tuesday with stab wounds and liquid bleach poured on them, leading to animal cruelty charges against a borough man.

Patrick Biondo, 54, had the animals in a cage on his deck on Canterbury Lane, according to police. Biondo told police raccoons were a constant nuisance on his deck and he was trying to exterminate them, police said.

The problem lasted for about a year as Biondo's deck was constantly covered in raccoon feces, he said during a phone interview Wednesday. Since August 2018 he said he captured three other raccoons — for a total of five including this week's two animals. Biondo said the police and animal control were not helpful in either relocating or deterring the raccoons.

"I tried the right way," Biondo said. "I called police, no help. I called animal control, no help. I didn’t know what to do."

After capturing the three other raccoons, Biondo said he left them in the cages until they died of starvation. Biondo said an animal control officer told him it was illegal to relocate the animals. He did not recall which agency the animal control officer he spoke to worked for.

He also said he tried rat poison and it had no effect.

Biondo attests he did nothing wrong and tried to act humanely.

"Is a mousetrap animal cruelty?" he said. "Is rat poison animal cruelty? Are traps where they grab like bear traps — would that be animal cruelty? It’s human cruelty to have to live with animals that are defecating on your deck and using your home as their commode."

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The raccoons were in poor health with bleach and stab wounds on their bodies. After being taken to Franklin Lakes Animal Hospital, doctors decided they needed to be put down, said Carol Tyler, senior animal control officer with TYCO Animal Control.

"The injuries to the face and the paws was extensive from the bleach and the other wounds," Tyler said.

Biondo was charged with two counts of animal cruelty and was released from custody pending an Aug. 14 court date. A New Milford police spokesman declined further comment.

Tyler denied Biondo's claim that he was told it was illegal to relocate the animals. He was advised to check with the state Division of Fish and Wildlife for an appropriate location to bring the raccoons, she said.

"He was given advice and he did what he wanted to do," Tyler said.

Biondo denied that he was told that by animal control.

"That is absolutely untrue. I would have remembered that," he said.

Biondo still felt like he had no other options, he said. He saw one of the raccoons during the day and thought it could be rabid as well, he said.

One of them trapped in a cage moved it violently enough to break his screen door and the fake plants he had nearby. Feces was always at risk of being dragged into his house on people's shoes, such as on Tuesday by police, according to Biondo.

Biondo said he will now call pest control but never thought to do so before or was advised to do so.

"My understanding of pest control is termites, cockroaches, ants and mice," he said.

Email: jongsma@northjersey.com

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