Owner of dogs left in sweltering Asbury Park garage charged with cruelty

ASBURY PARK — A city resident has been charged with leaving 13 dogs in a sweltering garage in July has been charged with animal cruelty.

Asbury Park police called the Monmouth County SPCA to rescue the dogs, 10 of which were puppies, from the garage of a house on Mattison Avenue that had only a small window opened and no bedding.

One dog was found tied up in the backyard with an industrial chain while another was found lifeless on the hot concrete floor. That dog later died.

The dogs were taken to a veterinary hospital where they were diagnosed and treated for flea infestation, flea allergic dermatitis, round worm exposure and dehydration, according to Monmouth County prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni..

Derek Bussey, 25, was charged with third-degree animal cruelty and twelve counts of fourth-degree animal cruelty.

MCSPCA Executive Director Ross Licitra said that Bussey was not living at the house when the dogs were found. He was later identified as the animals' owner.

Bussey has a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday and New Jersey 101.5 did not know Friday whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ