Two individuals have been accused of mistreating animals and putting a child in danger after the police discovered around 30 deceased dogs at a residence in southern New Jersey this week.
Authorities suspect that as many as 100 dogs lost their lives in the house, with a possibility that many were buried on the property. Law enforcement officers found living and deceased dogs, cats, and rabbits inside the home on Monday. The Evesham Police Department stated that nine surviving dogs were taken to an animal hospital for treatment, some of which were in very poor health. Unfortunately, one of these dogs had to be put down.
Rebecca Halbach, 35, and Brandon Leconey, 32, were taken into custody in Evesham, a suburb of Philadelphia, on Monday. The police were alerted to the situation by a person associated with an animal rescue organization based in North Carolina. This organization had provided funds to the couple to care for some of their dogs and reported seeing sick and malnourished dogs on the property.
Authorities also revealed that a 9-year-old boy who lived in the house was removed from the premises due to the unhealthy living conditions. The child was placed under the care of child welfare officials. It’s unclear whether the child was related to Halbach or Leconey.
When investigators arrived at the scene, they needed to ventilate the house by opening doors and windows before they could safely enter.
There were no publicly listed phone numbers for Halbach or Leconey, and it was uncertain whether either had legal representation. The authorities mentioned that additional charges might occur as the investigation progresses. Leconey was detained at the Burlington County Jail, while Halbach was evaluated at a hospital for an undisclosed medical issue.
