The homeowner was "cooperative" with authorities, but initially said there were 10 dogs in the house when there were actually 47, said a spokesman for the NJSPCA
Dogs are loaded in a crate after being removed from the home on Bucknell Trail in Hopatcong. (Courtesy of NJSPCA)HOPATCONG -- A Hopatcong man faces 94 charges after officials said they found 47 dogs sitting in feces and urine all around his house.
Lester Vogt, who shares the bi-level house on Bucknell Trail with his wife, Debra, is accused of 47 counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, and 47 counts of cruelty to animals, said Matt Stanton, a spokesman for the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which filed the charges.
The case began when local police showed up at the home on June 4 following ""something unrelated," Stanton said.
"When the officers looked in the door, it was horrible," he said. "They found a lot of dogs and smelled feces."
"The dogs were in bad shape," Stanton added."There were fights going on among the animals" and many of them had puncture wounds.
In a "heads-up move," the police alerted animal authorities, Stanton said.
"The good news is that the animals were signed over to us," Stanton added. "They're being vetted and they should be ready for adoption shortly."
The dogs, who included "a couple puppies and a couple who were pregnant," were moved to area animal shelters, Stanton said.
Although the homeowner was "cooperative" with police and Hopatcong's animal control officer, he initially told authorities there were 10 dogs in the house, but it turned out there were actually 47, Stanton said.
Stanton said it appears the situation was a case of "hoarding" the animals.
Vogt is scheduled to appear in Hopatcong Municipal Court on July 18 to answer the charges.
He will likely pay a fine for the offenses and may agree to restrictions on his ownership of animals, Stanton said.
Ben Horowitz may be reached at bhorowitz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @HorowitzBen. Find NJ.com on Facebook.