Missing-Pet Pleas Pour In To Police In Brick Hoarding Case

BRICK, NJ — Word that a hoarding situation in Brick Township included some dogs and cats that had been pulled from shelters within and outside of New Jersey has prompted an overwhelming response from people searching for missing pets.

An email address set up by Brick Township police to handle inquiries about animals that may have been held by Crazy Rescue Ladies at the home has received more than 150 emails in just over two weeks, Sgt. Jim Kelly said Wednesday.

The emails came "from people across the country, from New Jersey, to Alabama, to Florida, to California, looking to see if their pets were involved in this incident," Kelly said. Some of the pets have been missing for more than two or three years, he said, and the owners have reached out in hope that their pets might have been found.

Complicating matters, people have been sharing the email address for inquiries on Facebook all over and telling people to send any and all requests about missing pets to that address, Kelly said, "regardless of time, location or any connection to the defendants."

"We would ask that this email address (petrescue@gmail.com) be used only to send a request if someone has a direct connection, or a suspicion that their pet was involved with the suspects," he said.

Kelly said Patrolman Scott Smith is asking people who have sent emails to be patient.

"It is a lot of information to work through, and the follow-up with the shelters can be slow as demand on these shelters and their staff is understandably high," Kelly said.

The dogs and cats from the Brick home were removed over the course of 10 hours on the evening of Dec. 2 into the morning of Dec. 3, and taken to the Ocean County Health Department's animal shelters. Health department officials said they opened the county's emergency animal facility to house some of the 180 animals.

Smith's first visit to the three facilities searching for missing pets included requests regarding about 80 animals, Kelly said.

As of Wednesday, 18 pets have been identified from those requests; two were people with legal claims to the dogs: Rocky, the collie who was reunited with his owners right before Christmas, and Couchy, a dog that was given to Aimee Lonczak from South Carolina. Couchy also was reunited with his legal owner.

The remaining 16 identified so far were connected with people had fostered the animals previously "who were merely looking for closure or updates if their previous foster pets were involved," or people who had surrendered dogs to Crazy Rescue Ladies and were looking to get them back, Kelly said.

Any rescues or fosters who want to reclaim animals will have to go through the Ocean County animal shelters’ standard procedures involved with adopting out an animal.

In the meantime, Friends of the Southern Ocean Animal Shelter announced the Manahawkin shelter is beginning adoptions. The dogs are young, mixed breeds, many of the appearing to be lab mixes and in the 25- to 40-pound range.

Some adoptions have begun from the Northern Ocean Animal Facility as well, with some chihuahuas going to new homes, according to the Friends of the Northern Ocean Animal Facility. at 615 Freemont Road in Jackson.

The Manahawkin shelter is at 360 Haywood Road. Both facilities are open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily for people who have a serious interest in adopting. There is a screening process, including a requirement to meet all members of the family where the dog would be living.

The Southern Ocean Friends Facebook post said the dogs being placed for adoption are happy, healthy, up-to-date on all age-appropriate vaccinations, spayed/neutered and they have all been microchipped.

"Despite what they have all been through they remain happy-go-lucky, adorable and super affectionate," the volunteer group said.

Aimee Lonczak and Michele Nycz, who have been charged with animal cruelty and child endangerment, and were released from jail Dec. 8 to await further court proceedings. Their next court dates were scheduled for Jan. 12. Read more: Women Released To Await Trial In Brick Animal Hoarding Case

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