Women In Brick Hoarding Case Want 7 'Personal' Dogs Returned: Reports

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Two women facing animal cruelty charges after 180 dogs and cats were found in feces-encrusted cages in a Brick Township home have asked a judge to order the return of seven dogs they say were their personal pets, reports say.

Aimee Lonczak, 49, and Michele Nycz, 58, made the request during an appearance Tuesday before Ocean County Superior Court Judge Linda Baxter, during a status hearing in the case.

It's a request that is adamantly rejected by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the Ocean County Board of Health.

"It is the State’s position that neither of these two defendants should ever be able to possess a pet again," Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said Tuesday evening in response to a request for comment.

"The Ocean County Board of Health also strongly opposes the return of any dogs to these two women," Daniel Regenye, the public health coordinator for the health department, said Wednesday morning.

Lonczak and Nycz were arrested Dec. 3 after the animals were found in conditions that required people dressed in hazmat suits to retrieve the animals from the home. Both women are charged with animal cruelty and child endangerment, with the latter charge because Lonczak's 16-year-old daughter was living with them in the home.

Both women were released Dec. 8 following a detention hearing before Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels, who set several conditions on their release, including weekly check-ins with the court, no contact with Lonczak's daughter and no interaction with animals.

The animals — 135 dogs and 45 cats — were taken to the Ocean County Health Department's animal shelter facilities, where they have spent the last month being bathed, treated for illnesses where necessary, and living in clean environments.

Lonczak and Nycz signed over their legal claims to the animals after the Dec. 8 hearing, which allowed the shelter to begin moving forward with adoptions.

Read more: Women Released To Await Trial In Brick Animal Hoarding Case

On Tuesday, Lonczak and Nycz asked Baxter to return seven dogs they say were their personal pets, Jersey Shore Online reported. The dogs are being held at the county's animal shelters.

News 12 New Jersey reported Lonczak said she had five personal pets among the dogs, and Nycz had two. Baxter set a Jan. 24 hearing on the request.

At the Dec. 8 hearing, Daniels barred the women from returning to the home on Arrowhead Park Drive without approval from the court. Baxter granted permission for the women to go to the house and retrieve personal items, the Jersey Shore Online report said.

Lonczak is charged with one count of fourth-degree animal cruelty and one count of second-degree child endangerment, while Nycz is charged with one count of third-degree animal cruelty and one count of second-degree child endangerment. Assistant Prosecutor Alexander Becker said at the detention hearing that additional charges are pending.

The next hearing is set for March 14, the Jersey Shore Online report said.

The animals seized from the home, meanwhile, have begun to be adopted into new homes and, in some cases have been reunited with owners.

Full coverage:

• Brick Animal Hoarding Case: Questions And Answers
• 180 Dogs, Cats Removed From Brick Home, 2 Arrested: Police
• Dogs, Cats From Brick 'Puppy Mill' Under Ocean County's Care
• How Rescue Founder Hid Brick Animal Hoarding: Fosters, Adopters Speak
• 'Desperate Need': Manahawkin Animal Shelter Asks For Coats, Cash
• 'Nightmare': Popcorn Park Officer Shares Hoarder House Experience
• Hundreds Of Pets In Need Following Brick Hoarder Rescue: How To Help
• Women Released To Await Trial In Brick Animal Hoarding Case
• Animals From Brick Hoarding Turned Over To Ocean County
• Missing-Pet Pleas Pour In To Police In Brick Hoarding Case
• Collie Taken By Brick Hoarders Reunited With Family
• Bloodhound Found In Brick Hoarding Case Reunited With Tennessee Family

Note: This article has been updated with comment from Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and from the Ocean County Board of Health.

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