Charges Filed After Dead Animals Found In Truck Behind NJ Store

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — State police charged a Virginia woman with animal cruelty after a number of rescues removed cats, dogs, and dead baby animals of both species from a truck parked behind a store in North Jersey.

Many of the animals are now at local shelters or seeking foster homes, as local rescues and shelters combined forces to remove them from the truck on Monday where they had been for at least four days. Photos show the dogs are small-to medium-size, and appear to be mixed breeds. Original article: 40 Dead Animals, Dozens Of Live Ones Rescued From Pickup Truck In NJ

The owner of the truck, 53-year-old Lynn Leonard, has been charged with animal cruelty and officials released her with a pending court data according to NJ State Police Lt. Lawrence Peele.

Troopers came to the parking lot of the Marshall's on Hampton House Road (Hampton Twp.) on Monday around 4:45 p.m. for "an animal complaint," Peele said. Loose dogs running around and the odor coming from the truck alerted authorities to what was happening, local shelters added.

State police troopers found the Silverado pickup truck with dozens of cats and dogs in the cab, and more in cages in the bed of the truck, said Peele. Animal shelters were there removing about 46 cats and dogs from a truck, including Eleventh Hour in Morris County which said the smell of urine, feces, and decay spread down the street.

In the bed of the truck, there were also several trash bags with the bodies of at least 40 dead animals, their bodies "individually wrapped" according to the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge Inc. (RBARI), which was also on scene.

"Everything in the vehicle was soaked in urine, feces and animal remains," said the shelter.

Troopers requested animal control and veterinarians to come and examine the animals who were still alive, Peele said.

Removing the dogs and cats effort took hours, according to posts from rescues in multiple communities who mobilized to remove the animals from their filthy conditions and get them somewhere safe with proper care.

Police arrested Leonard, of Bloxom in coastal VA, when she arrived to the scene according to NJ state police.

The RBARI and Second Chance Pet Adoption League reported that Leonard was driving the animals to Pennsylvania after a house fire in Virginia.

State police credited Eleventh Hour, Blairstown Animal Hospital, Newton Animal Hospital, and BARKS Inc. for removing the cats and dogs from the scene. Hampton Animal Control also responded "immediately" and stayed into the night, said RBARI.

A number of other shelters including Hopatcong Animal Shelter, Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, Inc., and Second Chance Pet Adoption League posted that they took in some of the dogs.

The Byram Animal Rescue Kindness Squad (BARKS Inc.) took two of the cats and three kittens, they added.

To donate to any of these animals' care or learn more specific information, click on the links in the article for individual shelters and rescues. Many have posted links and fundraisers to their social media pages.