Woman Charged After 3 Dogs Left To Die In Lacey Home: Prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River woman has been charged with leaving three dogs to die in an abandoned home in Lacey Township, authorities said Thursday evening.

Allissa DeStefano, 29, of Toms River, has been arrested and charged with three counts of animal cruelty, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Lacey Township Police Chief Michael DiBella said in a joint announcement.

Police were called to a home on Nov. 11 for a report that dogs may have been abandoned at the home. When they arrived, they confirmed the home was abandoned, and the remains of three dogs were discovered.

Detectives from Lacey and the prosecutor's office learned DeStefano was responsible for the care of the dogs and had abandoned them at the home when she left, which led to their deaths. Authorities have not given an estimate of how long the dogs had been left at the home.

DeStefano was arrested without incident, and processed at the Lacey Township Police Department. She was released on a Summons pending a future court date.

The animal cruelty statute she was charged under, N.J.S.A. 4:22-17c(2), treats it as a third-degree crime when an animal dies as a result of an animal cruelty situation. Each count could result in up to 18 months in prison.

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