EATONTOWN -- An attendant at a central New Jersey animal shelter has been charged with animal cruelty after authorities say he killed two cats in the shelter's surgical recovery room.

Eatontown police say they arrested 31-year-old Daniel Mann of Belmar Monday afternoon after other workers at the Monmouth County SPCA shelter reported that they saw him strangle one cat and throw the other to the ground head first.

Mann was being held today at the Monmouth County Jail in lieu of $30,000 bail. Authorities did not know if he had retained an attorney.

Monmouth County SPCA Chief Victor "Buddy" Amato said Mann had worked at the shelter for about 18 months.

An animal cruelty charge carries a maximum three- to five-year prison term.

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