Police Address Dog Death Rumors

Police and Monmouth County SPCA Chief Humane Law Enforcement Officer Victor "Buddy" Amato are investigating the deaths of two dogs — one that died of ingesting anti-freeze and another that died from ingesting an undetermined toxic substance.

A healthy family pet that lived in a house near East Church Street, Keansburg, died on Oct. 6 within 24 hours after ingesting what the veterinarian believed to have been anti-freeze. The death of the Jack Russell terrier was reported to Keansburg Police and Amato by a veterinarian about three days ago.

Yesterday, Keansburg Police received a report that another dog passed away and that the dog had also possibly ingested something toxic, Keansburg Deputy Chief Michael Pigott said. 

"We couldn't determine that, but we are looking into both cases," said Pigott, who declined to give more details in that case. 

Pigott said officials had no reason to believe rumors circulating on the local Facebook sites that there have been ten dog deaths in Keyport and Keansburg, or that they were somehow related to some kind of gang activity.

"We contacted every town in the Bayshore, and there is nothing like that reported," he said. 

"We're not saying it's a gang incident. We're not accusing anybody," said Pigott. "It is completely untrue there are ten dogs dead."

Amato said dogs and cats like anti-freeze because it is "very, very sweet," though it is toxic. He said that he is aware that some people bait feral cats with dishes of anti-freeze in order to deter them.  

If found guilty of intentionally leaving anti-freeze out for animals, a person can face a charge of "Needlessly killing a living creature," an indictable offense which carries the potential for jail time. 

Anyone with information about this subject is asked to call Keansburg police at 732-787-0600. Monmouth County SPCA Chief Amato can also be reached at 732-312-7153.