100 Dead Dogs Suspected At South Jersey Home, Child Turned Over To DCF, Parents Arrested

[Sugar Cookie]

Rebecca Halbach, 35, and Brandon Leconey, 32, have been arrested for endangering the welfare of a child and animal cruelty, after the harrowing discovery at their Evesham home on the made Monday, Aug. 28, police said.

Janice Thompson, who runs Tender Mercies Pet Organization, tells Daily Voice three dogs rescued by her org in North Carolina were sent to a New Jersey rescue as her facilities were at capacity.

Those dogs, along with puppies they'd recently birthed, were given to Halbach and Leconey to foster sometime in late-April, Thompson said on a call with Daily Voice. While Thompson got regular updates on the puppies, she never seemed to hear about their mothers, she said.

"We got very concerned," Thompson said. "We don't play. We love our dogs. When [Halbach and Leconey] sent us pictures of the mamas... they didn't look healthy."

Halbach apparently later admitted to the other rescue that one of Thompson's dogs had died, and so, a friend of Thompson's rescue went to Halbach and Leconey's home on Sunday evening, Aug. 27, Thompson said.

When Thompson saw her dogs, she was shocked, she said.

"The dogs were so skinny covered in fleas, long toenails," she said. "Our patron called the police. We were not only concerned about our dogs, but any other dogs in the home."

Police said they were called to the scene on reports of animal cruelty, and found that the conditions in the home were extremely poor due to the amount of deceased animals throughout the home. Thompson said that's when they instructed the patron to take their dogs to the vet immediately.

One of Thompson's dogs, Shadow, died.

A juvenile was found to be living in the home and was removed by police due to the unhealthy conditions. The New Jersey Division of Child Protection & Permanency (DCP&P) was contacted and is investigating. The child is now in the care of DCP&P.

Another nine dogs were in serious condition and one had to be euthanized, Evesham police said on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

Officers found 14 dogs were found to be living in the home, along with numerous cats and rabbits. Nine dogs have been transported to the Mt. Laurel Animal Hospital, with several in extremely poor health, police said.

The Evesham Township Police Department is currently working with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office to process the scene.

100 Dead Dogs Suspected At South Jersey Home, Child Turned Over To DCF, Parents Arrested: PD

More than 30 dead dogs were found at a home in Burlington County — and police say there could be 70 more on the property.Rebecca Halbach, 35, and Brandon Leconey, 32, have been arrested for endangering the welfare of a child and animal cru…

dailyvoice.com

Brandi and Roxy​

 

[Sugar Cookie]

A couple accused of abusing dogs and other animals in their Marlton, New Jersey home in August are facing new charges in connection with the case.

Rebecca Halbach and Brandon Leconey are accused of stealing thousands of dollars by posing as employees of an animal rescue.

"The husband and wife had an affiliation with a local pet rescue. They took that affiliation and created an online presence that was not authorized by the animal rescue, and through that online presence, were using it to defraud people out of money," said Evesham Police Chief Walt Miller.


Investigators said the couple took over $7,000 to care for the animals. Halbach is now charged with theft by deception and computer crimes, while Leconey is charged and conspiracy to commit theft by deception and conspiracy to commit computer crimes. They were charged with animal cruelty and related charges in August.

Investigators said the couple would let animals starve to death. They found nearly 50 dead and dying dogs on the property, along with cats, rabbits and an 8-year-old child living in horrible conditions. They believe as many as 100 dogs may have died in the home or were buried on the property.

"What was present in that home was jarring to some pretty senior law enforcement officers, who have seen things, and this will probably stick with them for a while," said Miller.


Also on Tuesday, police announced another arrest connected with the case.

Kelli Bowen, 54, is charged with burglary. Police said she went to the home while the couple was behind bars and took items pertinent to the case.

Bowen agreed to talk to 6abc about the charges, and said she was working with two animal rescues looking for adoption papers.

She said she was trying to track down missing animals that the couple was being paid to care for.

"There are a lot of rescues looking for dogs that aren't accounted for, way over 200 dogs," said Bowen.

New charges against South Jersey couple accused of letting dogs starve to death

Investigators said the couple would let animals starve to death. They found nearly 50 dead and dying dogs on the property, along with cats, rabbits and an 8-year-old child living in horrible conditions.

6abc.com

 

[DamagedGoods]

So not only did they murder 100 dogs, they stole $7000 that could have gone to save other dogs.

I had to jump through SO many hoops, and work so very hard to get and keep Sam, and these fuckers are out here getting whole families of dogs and getting paid for it. How the hell did they get an affiliation with the local rescue?

I don't blame the rescues, as every one of them that I know of is getting absolutely hammered with trying to get dogs/pets they already have adopted while more and more people dump their animals on them...