25 Cats Euthanized Out Of 157 Removed From Brick Home In May, Prosecutor Says

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Brick Township man who had 160 animals in the home he and his wife were renting has been charged with animal cruelty after 25 cats had to be euthanized, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday.

Jeffrey S. Finlay, 54, was charged on Sunday, June 11, and turned himself in to Brick Township police on Wednesday, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

He was charged after the Ocean County Health Department issued its final reports on the health of the 157 cats and three dogs removed from the Mantoloking Road home he was renting after he called police on May 4 asking for help with their removal, Billhimer said.

It took authorities more than 24 hours to remove all of the animals from the home and take them to the county's two animal facilities for treatment and evaluation, Billhimer said.

Finlay initially was charged with failure to provide necessary care for the animals.

The final veterinary reports from the health department, issued June 5 to the prosecutor’s office and the Brick Township Police Department, said the county's veterinarian determined 25 cats needed to be euthanized and four cats suffered serious bodily injury as a result of Finlay’s failure to properly care for them, and the charge was upgraded.

Finlay is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Finlay's landlords alleged in May that his call to police came as the landlords were demanding to inspect the property after being unable to do so for two years due to the pandemic.

Thomas and Deneen Fay, who own the Mantoloking Road home, say they were scheduled to inspect the home on Friday, May 5, after repeated delays.

Possession of the animals was a violation of the terms of their lease, a copy of which was provided to Patch.

An unsafe structure order was issued for the home due to unsanitary conditions, Daniel F. Newman Jr., head of the Brick Township building department, said at the time. Read more: 130-Cat Removal Came As Brick Tenants Faced Inspection, Landlords Say

Billhimer said detectives from the Prosecutor’s Office, Brick Township Police Department, the Ocean County Health Department, and staff at the Northern and Southern Ocean County Animal Facilities collaborated on the investigation.