That is tragic...that the ones whe are intrusting to save and protect animals are hurting them. Who can we really trust?

Poor animals, It's a shame they were rescued to worse conditions than before. But it's good that they're safe now.

For those of you who needed real evidence from the inside, watch and weep. The NJ State SPCA enabled these people to operate this way. Make no mistake, the NJ State SPCA knew that this place was bad news for many years, but the local inspector pencil-whipped inspections. The volunteers' complaints fell on deaf ears until a lawyer was hired to force the State to do something. Shame on the NJ State SPCA!

The video speaks volumes.

cw11.trb.com

What a shame. The very people who are supposed to be saving these animals from neglect are now being charged themselves with neglect.

How disgusting.

A lot of shelters do not take care of animals like they should. The workers are over worked and under paid and many really just see the animals as their job instead of living creatures. It is sad but I am not surprised at all.

I wasn't able to watch the video & the article didn't give alot of details but if there was neglect of the cats & dogs like it states I am glad to know that someone stepped in & did something. I would like Zootoo to give us an update on this story in the future. I will always wonder what happened @ that shelter & where the animals ended up without any future updates on this. Thanks Zootoo.

sad, who knows what was going on, what they were thinking there. I'm sure near shelters would've helped if it was a out of control space thing. Glad something was done about it.

Animal abuse by anyone is reprehensible, but for people charged with caring for animals who are already living less than ideal lives...it is so much worse! I am so glad the volunteers were there to help those dogs and cats get to a better place.

Completely incomprehensible. I hope all these animals find the home they are searching for. Either the SPCA needs to remained closed or someone different needs to be running it.

This is very sad. These places are there as a refuge for these poor animals. People in this field of work should know better, this offense is inexcusable. My love goes out to all of these poor animals, and hopes they will get well soon.

they get... they are thre to serve and protect the animals.... sad sad.....

Disgusting

This article didn't give many details about the abuse and I couldn't view the video but any shelter that is abusing animals should be closed. They are supposed to be there to help the animals.

Any type of abuse is horrible to hear about. It is 10 times worse for me to hear that an actual animal shelter is the problem. My heart goes out to the workers and volunteers that hung in there with the animals and couldn't turn away from them. It sounds like this shelter needs a complete new management team/board. I have heard a lot about animal shelters getting shut down temporarily due to an outbreak of an illness or from an inspection in which too many things needed to be fixed, but not for the shelter neglecting and abusing the animals. This is a real heartbreaker.

I hate stories like these. Especially when the humane societys get flooded by animals and they need a lot of help.

these people should be arrested for cruelty towards animals.

Articles generally give a bit more attention to detail. In this case, unless I'm missing something, details are pretty much absent. How did the shelter neglect the animals in its care? Was other abuse involved? Were the charges levied against any particular employees, or all? I can't view the video due to having only a slow dial-up connection, so must rely on the article's text for information.

that is absolutly ridiculous that an animal shelter has been shut down due to abuse/neglect. they should all lose their employment if they cannot uphold the animals' safety and well being, that is the purpose of a shelter! i hope that they sucessfully turn things around and take much better care of the animals they are there to help!

I am glad to be able to report that the court today upheld the
temporary restraints it put HCDSPCA under on April 11. It further
ordered that the restraints be continued until the Dept of Health
issues a valid operating license and that the license be conditioned
on HCDSPCA submitting a Plan of Correction that:

* Addresses each and every violation found in each and every health
inspection report that we submitted to the court and will maintain
compliance with legal requirements

* Demonstrates that the HCDSPCA has sufficient financial reserves on
hand to enable compliance including three most recent bank statements

* Includes a list of the names and addresses of the Board of Directors
and the names and qualifications of its staff

* Includes a certification from a veterinarian licensed and practicing
in NJ who agrees to be the HCDSPCA's supervising veterinarian.

It further orders that the shelter can not resume operations until the
above plan has been approved by the Dept of Health and a license issued.

So - what does this all mean? Well, for starters I doubt that the
HCDSPCA as currently structured can meet the above conditions.
Second, the city has suggested to the court that it consider placing
the HCDSPCA into receivership. That means ordering that it's
day-to-day operations be taken over by another group appointed by the
court until such time as a permanent resolution as to the status of
the HCDSPCA is achieved. The court has set June 26th as the next
hearing date. That will be a status hearing for the court to hear
from anyone who feels they have a legal reason to argue for
receivership moving forward and being placed with them. Among those
who could potentially be interested in receivership are the Liberty
Humane Society, a group of HCDSPCA members who joined after these
problems first came to light with the aim of affecting change, and the
group of former HCDSPCA volunteers who first brought these issues to
light and took the lead in protecting the animals and seeing to their
needs while the HCDSPCA was abrogating its responsibilities.

One group that will not be moving to be made receiver is Hudson Animal
Advocates. While we brought the initial legal action and continue to
be the plaintiff, our goals are oversight and reform of the shelter
system, animal control, and animal cruelty investigation on a local,
county and state level. This would obviously be at conflict with
actually running a shelter.

Over the next few days I should have more details on how today's court
hearing impacts pending issues with the state AG office and the
municipalities of North Bergen and Union City. I will let you all
know more as I know more.

Thanks again for your ongoing support -

David Norman
Hudson Animal Advocates

How sad a shelter is supposed to be a safe plce for animals free of abuse and neglect

This is sad.

thats really sad

How incredibly sad. A place where animals should be protected and well cared for fails miserably at its task. Let's hope that the Hudson County SPCA is closed for good and all and just as importantly that the guilty parties never work in a shelter again!

what a sad situation

Hopefully a final chapter in the tragedy that was the Hudson County SPCA.

May 20, 2008, 1:30 PM at the old county court house, (583 Newark Avenue. Jersey City, N.J. 07306) Newark and Baldwin Avenues, second floor, Judge Olivieri's chambers.

Judge will decide if the Hudson County SPCA board regains control of the shelter after hearing arguments against reinstatement from Hudson Animal Advocates and their attorney who allege mismanagement and neglect.

I will post the results tomorrow.

How can people work in animal shelters and knowingly abuse animals. The animals have had such a rough life and shelter workers are expected to show them love and kindness. I know it is hard sometimes with the number of animals admitted but, hey, it is their job and they need to make a determined effort. I hope they are punished.

What a sad situation. I hope these animals recover and are able to get into good homes.

I hope the people running the Hudson County SPCA are charged & jailed for the inhumane treatment of the animals there. If this has been going on for a while and people knew it was happening why was it allowed. POLITICS??

It just amazes me that a shelter could neglect or be cruel to animals. Why be that way. Glad they are shut down and glad also for the extra info that Hayley's Mom found.

Disgusting! The one place an animal is supposed to be safe and taken care of and they are being abused in these ways. The people that work there should be ashamed of themselves!

This is disgusting...maybe they could lock the people working at the shelter that allowed this to happen in the kennels and not allow them out for several weeks. It'd be interesting if they were left to sit in their own feces and ignored how quickly their minds would change. Sad as it is, I'm sure this isn't the only case of this, and it's up to us to be the voices of the animals, they can't speak, so we have to be their voice.

I don't understand why this happened. I am glad that the animals are being taken care of now though.

I got out of a "rescue" for the same reason. Neglect! I is a horrible situation. If it wasn't for the organization that rescued them and myself to help identify animals, more would be dead. This situation was worse than the Jersey shelter because dogs were suffering and a lot died and they were not being fed! All but three of the 33 dogs have found homes.

I thought shelters were here to help animals not hurt them. This is disterbing and sad.

The one place you think animals would be safe, and they aren't? Very disturbing.

Why have a shelter to save the animals to only neglect them? I realize times are hard and money is tight but I believe there is always a way to help them. People have hearts and when they see something like this they will help. It breaks my heart.

Ok,THESE PEOPLE are even worse than DMX!!I cannot understand why everyone is going so light with the comments on this one,either,after just reviewing what most had to say on DMX!!!What makes these people worse ,is that I will wager, they do not have drug problems helping to erode their brains,and a shelter professes to care and help animals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Throw these freaking idiots in prison with Mr.Vick,too!

Very sad story and video!

Shelters need inspection too. then this type of thing wouldn't happen.

Shelters should be inspected once a year or once every six months to make sure things like this are not happening.

Ohhh man that is bad to think that a shelter would do such a thing. I think there should be stricter rules and regualtions for shelters to follow when they take in any cats or dogs. It is such a shameful issue.

This is awful. The shelter is the last stop for many of these animals. They should at least experience kindness and love before they go. Sick, sick, sick. There should be stricter screening of the people who work/run shelters.

so sad

Too sad.. if they arent protected and cared for at an animal shelter..whats left for them?

supposed to help the animals not abuse them.

the way we treat animals sickens me !! what is wrong with the human ,, they deserve the right to a decent life as much as any person or child ..to get more attention for the point.. are we so arrogant to think we are better some how... what shame the shelter is just a pool of the trickle down effect of neglect of humans..not responsable bad people.. that deserve what they have given to the helpless.. all should be prosecuted!!

Unbelievable, a organization set up for the well being of abused, abandoned, neglected animals is responsible for worse treatment than that. Hayley'sMom provided so much more insight to the goings on than the article did. Great research. My heart goes out to these animals. The board members need lined up and shot or placed in the cages and left without proper food and water or medical treatment.

how bout that?? one shelter coming to the aid of another shelter's animals.
How sad is it that an SPCA is found NEGLECTING the animals??? cannot believe it!!!!

We need more genuinely GOOD people out there to start shelters and do it right.