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Article Archive > Monmouth County SPCA worker charged with killing two cats in shelter Monmouth County SPCA worker charged with killing two cats in shelter EATONTOWN - An attendant with the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has been charged with animal cruelty after authorities say he killed two cats as they recovered from surgery at the agency. Daniel Mann, 31, of 12th Avenue, Belmar was arrested Monday afternoon and charged with two counts of animal cruelty. He was hired about 18 months ago and his job was to take care of animals, but around 3:15 p.m. Monday, a couple of employees glanced into the well room at the Wall Street building and saw Mann abusing the animals, said Victor "Buddy" Amato, the chief of the Monmouth County SPCA. He strangled one cat with a leash, and then dangled a second one in the air from its leash, said Amato. Mann then threw the cat to the ground, head first, said Eatontown Detective Sgt. Mark McGowan. Mann repeatedly whipped that second cat to the ground, said Amato. The woman employees, who were initially stunned, ran for help, he said. By the time employees returned to the well room, the cats were dead, said Amato. One was found in a garbage can in the room, with the leash wrapped twice around its neck, and the other was on the floor, he said. One of the adult cats was recovering from eye surgery, while the other had recently been spayed or neutered, said Amato. Both were almost ready to be put up for adoption. "It's a terrible, horrible event, and this is why we exist, to stop cruelty," said Laurie Garrison, who became the executive director of the agency five weeks ago, after the previous director retired. As she spoke, she choked up. "It's just again, reinforcing why again the SPCA has to be here, and it makes it even more important that we do the work we do," she said. Mann is being held at the Monmouth County Jail, Freehold Township, in lieu of $20,000 bail. The animal cruelty charges are third-degree offenses, and upon conviction, they carry three- to five-year prison terms. Mann has previously spent time behind bars. |