BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ – When police were called to a home in Brick Township where two women were running an illegal puppy mill, the situation quickly turned into a dangerous hoarding environment for police and an army of volunteers who spent hours making sure every last animal was freed from the deplorable conditions inside the home.
Associated Humane Societies Animal Control officers Maria Cymanski, Javier Vargas, and Luis Mercado went so above and beyond in assisting with the horrific hoarding situation in Brick, NJ, on Saturday, officials with AHS said this week.
“We cannot comment on much about this situation, as it is an open investigation, but many of you have already heard that more than 145 dogs and over 85 cats were rescued from a life of pure hell yesterday,” AHS Popcorn Park said in a statement. “In speaking with our ACO Maria, she describes the situation as, “a nightmare that you feel you just can’t wake up from”. When asked about the conditions, Maria said, “With every breath that we could barely take, we felt strengthened, knowing that we were going to change the lives of these animals, and let them finally breathe fresh air, sleep on a clean blanket, and finally, go to a good place that they could call home”. In all of her years as an ACO, and all of our combined years here at AHS, very few situations that we’ve seen compare to the conditions that were seen yesterday.”
Along with other volunteers and animal rescues, all of the pets have been brought to area shelters and are being properly cared for.
“Officers Vargas and Mercado of Associated Humane Tinton Falls, and Officer Cymanski of AHS Popcorn Park, arrived at the scene around 1:30 AM Saturday morning, and they all refused to stop until every single animal was brought to safety,” AHS said. “The work that this entailed, which cannot be described now, is completely unimaginable, but they worked as a team along with various agencies, police, fireman, and veterinarians, to rescue every single animal from this residence and transport them to safety. All animals are being housed by Ocean County Animal Care facilities where they will begin life over again, and we hope and pray that they will be able to put this long, miserable nightmare behind them.”
Now, AHS is accepting donations to care for the rescued cats and dogs and thanked the community for an outpouring of support in light of a horrible situation.
Donations are greatly needed at the facilities that are caring for these animals. Food, towels, blankets, bowls, Dawn dish soap, etc., can be dropped off at Ocean County Animal Facility South, 360 Haywood Road, Manahawkin or at the Ocean County Animal Facility North, 615 Freemont Ave., Jackson
If these locations are not convenient, please drop off your donations at AHS Popcorn Park, 1 Humane Way, Forked River, and we will make frequent transports to the facilities that need them.
Were you part of this rescue? Send us an email and tell us your story.
Related: Brick woman arrested for illegal puppy mill was once named Teacher of the Year by Chris Christie