44 Animal Cruelty Charges For Essex County Shelter Admin

East Orange, NJ – The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NJSPCA) has filed 44 animal cruelty charges against an East Orange city administrator, alleging that she failed to provide water to almost two dozen dogs and cats.

According to a statement released on Monday, the NJSPCA filed 22 criminal and 22 civil charges against Rochelle Evans, the director of the East Orange Department of Health and Human Services.

NJSPCA officials are alleging that Evans failed to provide “proper sustenance” to 18 dogs and 4 cats by depriving them of water.

The charges stem from a recent NJ Department of Health inspection of the animal shelter, and a court date is pending in East Orange Municipal Court, according to the NJSPCA.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Evans has been employed with the city since December of 2003, and has a master’s degree in health administration, public health and health administration from New Jersey City University.

Monday’s charges come about four months after the NJSPA announced that it would not be filing cruelty charges against shelter administrators for allegedly euthanizing animals without medical or behavioral evaluation, among other accusations of animal mistreatment.

• See related article: No Animal Cruelty Charges For Essex County Shelter