Woman Charged With Leaving Dog to Die Will Appear in Superior Court

The Forked River woman charged with animal cruelty after she allegedly left a dog to die in a home will appear in Ocean County Superior Court.

 after police investigating a suspicious odor at a Pensacola Road address discovered the dog, Ruger, dead inside a dog crate in the home.

Otte was arrested on Tuesday, June 26 and charged with animal cruelty and abandonment.

An investigation by Officer Paul Sullivan and Officer Paul Schlossbach of New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals found that Otte moved from the Pensacola Road home and left Ruger, a mixed breed, alive in the cage. Sometime after she moved, Ruger died, police said.

The Ocean County Prosecutors Office has decided to keep the case against Otte rather than sending it back to Municipal Court, said Robert Scott, executive assistant prosecutor. Otte will be prosecuted in Superior Court. The case is assigned to Heidi Tannenbaum-Newman.

An indictment is currently pending, said Wayne Lagerquist, Assistant Criminal Division Manager. A court date has yet to be set.

The last court event was Otte’s bail hearing on Friday, July 13. with no 10 percent option through a bondsman on Monday, July 23.

In the meantime, animal activists have taken it upon themselves to ensure that justice is done for Ruger. A Facebook Page and a petition were started. The Facebook page currently has 565 likes while the petition has reached its goal of 3,500 signatures.

In New Jersey, animal cruelty carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $1,000 fine.