Dog Caged Outside In Heat Dies; Brick Man Charged: Police

BRICK, NJ — A Brick Township man is facing animal cruelty charges in the wake of the death of his dog after it was left caged on a fire escape for several hours on Sunday, police said.

Jonathan Correa, 29, has been charged with failing to provide necessary care to an animal, exposing an animal to adverse weather conditions, and failing to provide a shelter of the proper size and failing to obtain a dog license, Brick Sgt. Neal Pedersen said Tuesday.

Police were called Sunday evening at 5:48 p.m. by residents who were trying to help a sick dog at a Northrup Drive residence, Pedersen said.

Officer John Scott found the female dog, described as possibly being a Cane Corso, had been left out on the second-floor fire escape for several hours in the extreme heat, and the dog was unconscious and in severe distress, Pedersen said.

Temperatures on Sunday reached a high of 99 degrees, according to the Weather Underground website, with a heat index of 103 degrees. By 6 p.m. the temperature was still about 90 degrees.

The dog's owner and resident of the property could not be found, he said.

Brick K9 officers Sgt. Paul Catalina and Officer Keith Prendeville arrived and quickly assessed the dog’s condition, and with help from neighbors tried to cool the dog with water, Pedersen said. They they lowered the dog in its cage to the ground, wrapped her in a wet towel and Prendeville and Scott rushed her to Jersey Shore Veterinary Hospital on Route 70 in Lakewood, Pedersen said.

The dog was evaluated and treated throughout the night for life-threatening injuries, he said, but her condition deteriorated and she succumbed to her injuries early Tuesday morning.

Correa was charged as a result of the investigation, processed at headquarters and released on a summons pending court, Pedersen said.

The investigation is being conducted by Officer Jay Lampiasi and Officer Keith Donnelly of the Brick Township Police Humane Law enforcement division in cooperation with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. Lampiasi and Donnelly were recently assigned to the role of the township's Humane Law Enforcement by Police Chief James Riccio in the wake of the abolishment of the New Jersey SPCA's enforcement role.

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Photo by Brick Township Police