Two small dogs were found abandoned inside a crate in the woods of Gloucester County, left at the corner of Corkery Lane and Malaga Road, and investigators are now asking the public to help identify who left them there. It's unclear how long the dogs had been abandoned before they were discovered.
The Monroe Township Police Department is asking anyone with information to come forward, according to News12 New Jersey. Tips can be directed to Sgt. Heffner or Officer Martucci at 856-728-0800. The spot where the crate turned up sits in the Williamstown section of Monroe Township, an area bordered by forested tracts near local sites like Mary Mazza Duffy Memorial Park.
Community Offers Help for Dogs
Community members have offered to adopt the dogs and provide grooming, according to posts shared on Facebook. The Gloucester County Animal Shelter in Clayton serves as the impoundment and adoption facility for all 24 municipalities in Gloucester County, housing 64 dog kennel runs and handling more than 3,000 domestic animals annually, per Gloucester County.
The woods where the crate was dumped sit along a stretch of county road that's about to see heavier traffic. Monroe Township Police have issued an advisory for a 24-hour hard closure of Malaga Road at Blue Bell Road for bridge construction beginning around October 5, with Corkery Lane designated as the active detour route.
What New Jersey Law Says About Abandonment
Under New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 4:22-20, abandoning a domesticated animal is classified as a disorderly persons offense carrying a fine of up to $1,000 and potential imprisonment for up to six months, according to Justia Law.
Any criminal cruelty case must be referred to local police departments or a designated Municipal Humane Law Enforcement Officer for prosecution, according to the Borough of Woodbury Heights.
Part of a Wider Pattern
The Gloucester County discovery also fits a pattern Hoodline has tracked across the state this year, following an August case in Woodbridge where pets starved to death in crates and a March case in Sussex County involving nearly 50 dogs abandoned in open crates. For now, the identity of whoever left the two dogs at Corkery Lane and Malaga Road remains unknown, and Monroe Township investigators are relying on tips from the public to move the case forward.
