Crime, Regional Interest

Prosecutor: 26-Year-Old Man Pleads Guilty to Animal Cruelty in Four Puppies’ Deaths

A 26-year-old man pleaded guilty today to charges of animal cruelty admitting his neglect caused the deaths of four German shepherd puppies in his care, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.

Daniel McDonald, 26, of Freehold, pleaded guilty to four counts of third-degree animal cruelty before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Vincent N. Falcetano, Jr. The charges are related to the deaths of four German shepherd puppies found dead on a property in Howell where he was temporarily living.

McDonald also pleaded guilty to third-degree receiving stolen property after admitting he was in possession of a John Deere front end loader reported stolen out of Monroe.  

McDonald is scheduled to return for sentencing on Jan. 8, 2021.  Per the plea agreement, the sentencing recommendation is five years in a New Jersey state prison to run concurrent to McDonald’s pending charges in Middlesex and Bergen counties. As part of the plea, McDonald will be required to perform community service, and agreed to an order to never to own or live with animals. 

The case background …

The remains of two dead German shepherd puppies were found in a fire pit on a property in Howell where McDonald was temporarily living on Monday, May 18. 

The Howell Township Police Department and Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Law Enforcement Division conducted an investigation leading to the discovery of the remains of two more dead puppies which had been buried on the property.    

The joint investigation ultimately revealed that the puppies were stolen from a farm in Somerset County on or about May 12, when the puppies were only three weeks old.  

Investigators learned McDonald was staying at the Somerset County farm prior to the time the puppies went missing. Investigators also learned the puppies were ill, in distress, and were struggling to breathe prior to their deaths. 

A necropsy performed on the two buried puppies revealed the puppies suffered from parasites and also were severely emaciated and malnourished with “no indications of recent nutritional ingestion.” During his plea, McDonald took full responsibility for not getting the puppies the proper care resulting in their deaths.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office