44 dogs found dead in plastic bags in freezers of New Jersey home, police say

Sheri Berkery | The Courier-Post

SHAMONG, New Jersey - The odor was so overwhelming, officials responding to a health inspection at a home here became dizzy and nauseous on Tuesday.

But what they found was even more staggering, police said: 162 dogs and puppies living in "inhumane conditions," and 44 dead dogs packaged in plastic bags stored in freezers throughout the home.

Donna Roberts, 65, was charged with animal cruelty after the inspection of her home and kennels by New Jersey State Police and the Burlington County Health Department.

"Although the circumstances surrounding the demise of the 44 dogs that were discovered inside plastic bags in freezers remain under investigation, the deplorable and inhumane living conditions the rescued dogs were forced to endure is tragic," state police Col. Patrick Callahan said in a statement.

Four of the dogs found inside the home were in critical condition and taken to an emergency veterinary clinic. The remaining dogs were evaluated and treated by animal shelter workers at the scene, police said.

The smell of animal feces and ammonia caused several of the responders to feel ill, police said.

The dozens of dogs on site presented a huge task for workers, said Burlington County Public Information Officer Jason Tosches.

"Our county veterinarian was there all day yesterday," Tosches said Thursday. "All of the animals were evaluated and vaccinated by our county veterinarian."

Six regional shelters will care for the animals, and a number of them are actively seeking donations to handle the influx of dogs.

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"It's a sad story," said Tosches, who encouraged people interested in adopting the animals to contact individual shelters. "Hopefully the dogs can all find a great forever home."

In a post on its Facebook page, the Animal Welfare Association said executive director Maya Richmond helped to carry out dogs for care and assessment.

"She was equipped with a hazmat suit and mask to protect herself from the horrendous conditions, including the overwhelming amount of fleas, the accumulation of feces and the urine-filled newspapers that were provided to the dogs as bedding," the shelter said.

The shelter said it is caring for 30 of the dogs. "Until now, their lives have been filled with unspeakable cruelty and helplessness, but together, we can ensure that each dog's future is full of comfort, love and affection," it said in the post.

Residents had long complained about noise and the number of dogs on Roberts' property, and their input ultimately led to a change in the law.

Before the adoption of a Nov. 7 ordinance, Shamong – a community of only 6,500 where many people live on an acre or more of land – had no restrictions on the number of dogs a person could keep at their property.

Roberts, who was released with a pending court date, could not be reached for comment.

She previously told Shamong officials that her animals were "taken care of," according to the minutes of a July 11 township committee meeting in which other people complained about the large number of dogs on her property and noise caused by their barking.

Roberts noted the dogs weren't left outside, and that she kept them inside on Wednesdays and weekends "to be neighborly," according to the minutes.

The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office, which is in charge of the investigation, worked with police and health inspectors to obtain and execute the search warrant after the new ordinance was adopted.

"We are appalled by the horrendous conditions these dogs were subjected to, and as a result I authorized charges against the property owner," Prosecutor Scott Coffina said in statement.

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