47 Cats, Dogs Removed From Animal Rescue Owner's Home In NJ

PITTSTOWN, NJ — Just under 50 cats and dogs were reportedly pulled from an animal rescue owner's home in Pittstown on Monday.

Annie Trinkle, Executive Director of the 501(c)3 non-profit volunteer-led Animal Alliance, told Patch her organization was told a couple of days before the raid to prepare to take in the large amount of animals.

On Monday at around 8 a.m., authorities went to Geralyn "Lyn" Serino's home in Pittstown, who runs the Lost Paws Animal Rescue.

"At this time, we have no comment," said Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office(HCPO) Community Outreach Liaison Samantha Iraca to Patch when asked for information on the raid.

"The conditions in the home were deplorable," said Trinkle, who added that the smell was terrible.

The pets were "emaciated, they were showing clear signs of major upper respiratory infection, where they couldn't breathe, or see properly," said Trinkle to Patch.

"One of them had a serious injury to its leg. They were just very, very clearly sick with something. And the rest of them had fleas and parasites, and at least half of them have upper respiratory infections," said Trinkle.

Animal Alliance in West Amwell took in 22 cats and seven dogs, Crown Veterinary Specialists in Lebanon for emergency treatment of six cats, eight cats were also sent to Tabby's Place in Ringoes, and Somerset Regional Animal Shelter confirmed to Patch that they will be taking in around four cats.

Trinkle also said Outcast Rescue and Animal Control Solutions helped with transporting the animals.

All of the pets will be evaluated for their condition and treated before putting them up for adoption.

"Our veterinarian is going to spend the entire day with them tomorrow, vaccinating them, triaging them, making sure we get weights and everything on them, and that they're treated for fleas and ticks and dewormed and so forth," said Trinkle.

Lost Paws, which regularly holds adoption events at Petco in Raritan and also at a building at 210 Route 206 in Hillsborough, also had an incident on July 26.

Raritan patrol officers responded to anonymous complaints made at Petco, at 303 Route 202, in reference to cats brought there for an adoption event by Lost Paws Animal Rescue, said Raritan Police Lt. Everett Holt to Patch.

"It appeared the cats were covered in urine and feces. Raritan officers forwarded the complaint to Humane Law Enforcement Officers in Hunterdon County," said Holt.

Last month, a Change.org petition was launched with almost 450 signatures demanding that Lost Paws Rescue Group be shut down.

"Lost Paws Animal Rescue, located in Pittstown, Franklin Township, NJ, is under serious scrutiny due to the alleged actions of its founder, Geralyn Serino. Numerous instances of animal abuse and neglect have been reported, raising grave concerns about the welfare of the animals," according to the organizer of the petition. "Dogs and cats in her care are frequently found in distressing conditions. They arrive at adoption events filthy and malnourished, and yet the excuse is always the same: they had an accident on the way. This is not about a rare mishap, but rather a continued pattern of mistreatment that needs to be stopped."

The HCPO had taken over the Franklin Township(Hunterdon County) Police Department to supervise the day-to-day operations until further notice following a double murder and suicide on Aug. 1.

The HCPO is expected to release a statement about the raid on Tuesday.

"Hoarding is a serious problem. It's like a mental problem, and it's very hard for the person in that situation to accept that they need help. And it's hard, very hard, for those of us who've devoted our lives to animal welfare, to see animals in this deplorable condition. It's really a level of neglect that has become cruelty, because the way these animals are living was, was so terribly, terribly neglectful," said Trinkle.

How to Help

Moving forward, Animal Alliance will need donations and foster families.

Trinkle said they need a lot of canned cat food(any brand) and dry cat food, along with the pellet-type of litter.

Foster families will also be needed once the animals are treated.

"It's going to be a long road back for them. Some of them are very sweet, but they're going to be on medicine for a while," said Trinkle.

For more information on how to help or donations, call 609-818-1952 or visit animalalliancenj.org.

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