Man Indicted On 149 Counts Of Animal Cruelty In Brick Cat Hoarding

BRICK, NJ — A Brick Township man has been indicted on 149 counts of animal cruelty in connection with a cat hoarding case at home in Brick, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Thursday.

Jeffrey S. Finlay, 56, was indicted by an Ocean County grand jury on Wednesday, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said, in connection with the hoarding situation found on May 4, 2023.

Finlay called Brick Township police to his home on Mantoloking Road for assistance with removing an excessive number of animals from his residence, and officers found 157 cats and 3 dogs living at the home.

The animals were taken to the Northern and Southern Ocean County Animal Facilities for treatment, and Finlay initially was charged with failure to provide care for a living animal or creature. However, the charges were upgraded after 25 cats had to be euthanized and four others had suffered serious injuries because of his failure to provide care, Billhimer said.

The animal cruelty charges were filed June 11, 2023, and Finlay surrendered himself to Brick Township police on June 14, 2023, Billhimer said. He was taken to the Ocean County Jail but later released as a consequence of bail reform, the prosecutor said.

Finlay's landlords alleged at the time that Finlay only called police because the landlords were demanding to inspect the property after being unable to do so for two years due to the pandemic. Thomas and Deneen Fay, who own the Mantoloking Road home, said they were scheduled to inspect the home the following day after repeated delays.

Possession of the animals was a violation of the terms of the lease Finlay and his wife had signed, a copy of which was provided to Patch.

An unsafe structure order was issued for the home due to unsanitary conditions, Daniel F. Newman Jr., head of the Brick Township building department, said at the time.

Assistant Prosecutor Alexander Becker presented the case to the grand jury. The prosecutor’s office, Brick Township Police Department, the Ocean County Health Department, and the Northern and Southern Ocean County Animal Facilities collaborated in the investigation.

Previous coverage:

• 25 Cats Euthanized Out Of 157 Removed From Brick Home, Prosecutor Says
• 130-Cat Removal Came As Brick Tenants Faced Inspection, Landlords Say
• Resident Charged As Animal Removal Finished At Brick Home
• More Than 100 Cats Removed From Brick Home: Police