Tragedy in New Jersey - December 2001  

You may have heard about the boxers who were confiscated by police and animal control from a NJ home on December 13th, 2001.  Laura Urban was first on the scene.  Read her compelling description of the New Jersey 26 (below)

A furnace repairman was alarmed to witness these dogs crammed into cages with their own wastes.  Many were covered with skin ulcers and tumors, some even blind.  That brave man alerted authorities, and from there rescue jumped in.

Many individuals and rescue groups rallied to save these dogs.  Although 4 were immediately euthanized due to irreparably poor health, the rest were saved. 

Filthy and bedraggled, some had difficulty walking from such severe confinement.  But that's in the past for these dogs now.  They are currently being fostered, evaluated, and nursed back to health.  Yancy, Rhea and Robbie  are 3 of the lucky survivors. 

Many thanks to everyone who has pitched in.  Special thanks to Laura Urban for being there when the dogs first arrived, and for bathing and cleaning them. Thanks to the kennel staff and particularly to the dog officer named Sharon. Thank you to ALL the rescue groups, including Boxer Buddies, Eastern Boxer Rescue, Scranton Boxer Rescue, King of Prussia Boxer Rescue, and Second Chance Boxer Rescue.  Thank you to Cathy Sylvester, Jim and Gail Monk, Dawn Karam, Dr. Peter Kross, and anyone we forgot to mention.  This was a real joint effort with many, many people pitching in.  And thank you to anyone and everyone who is able to donate in this great time of need.

Laura Urban (savaboxer@hotmail.com) is a dedicated member of Northeastern Boxer Rescue and Delaware Valley Boxer Rescue.  She was the first boxer rescue representative to respond to the scene.  These are her compelling words:

"I went to see them and take pictures.  What I saw I can't adequately describe. I haven't had much experience with really abused or neglected dogs, so I'm not able to compare, but I have to tell you this was awful.

When I got to the boarding kennel they were being taken to, only about half had arrived, and by the time the ACO came in with the last batch of them, I was bathing my second or third dog.  There was one groomer there, washing dogs, doing nails and cleaning ears.  I had gone to take pictures, but I wound up simply bathing and trimming them... what sweet dogs - but how unbelievably filthy and uncared for. 

These dogs had been kept in crates for years, peeing and pooping and sleeping in their own mess.  The ACO said there were no visible dog bowls, no water in the crates (god knows how they got a drink).  The dogs who were being fed while I was there were dumping the food on the floor of the kennel runs, and finally eating it off the floor.  The dogs don't know how to walk - their nails were so long they almost couldn't.  The majority have bald spots, which are probably rub marks from crates too small to contain them. 

The dogs range in age but most are probably over 3 years old.  The ACO didn't think the woman who owned them was either forthright or aware of their actual ages, and we're not even sure about some of their names, not that it matters; they don't respond to them anyway.  Some had numerous tumors; only one was neutered - supposedly a dog they had sold and had to take back (poor thing!).

They are all sweet - they didn't know what was happening to them, but I know they couldn't believe it could possibly worse than what they'd already been through.  They were obviously stressed and terrified - but not one nipped or snapped or even growled while they were being bathed - I'm so in awe of these dogs and their temperaments.  I had hoped to be able to get pictures, as I said, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. 

We didn't even get all the dogs bathed today. The kennel had been closed for some time by the time we left, and there were still three or four dogs who still need baths.  I washed my clothes and myself (often) after returning home, and still can't get the smell out of my hands.

I will be back at the kennel tomorrow morning to wash some more and try to teach them to walk.  I hope I don't dream about this, but probably will. Please pray for these sweet dogs - they are all dears and don't deserve what they've been through.  I still can't believe it."
 

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