Monmouth County SPCA Chief Victor "Buddy" Amato said he received a tip on Feb. 14 that animals at the farm were in need of help. Amato said he went to the farm and found more than 65 newborn baby goats and sheep that were approximately four-weeks old, and helped put out straw and water in shelter areas.
All of the buckets of water were either empty or frozen over with snow on top of the ice, Amato said.
"When you have babies and nursing mothers you have to have water or else they can't produce milk," he said.
The farm's owner, Lance Vaccaro, 45, struck a plea deal last April admitting to failure to provide care in exchange for a $2,000 fine with $1,500 of it suspended pending an animal remediation and care plan within 30 days. A condition of the plea included no additional animals on the property.
Amato said he and agent Debbie Nagel re-inspected the farm on Feb. 15 and checked on the babies along with the more than 250 animals. He said they also put out additional bedding and water.
Amato, Nagel, Lt. Ronnie Ehrenspeck and a veterinarian went back to the farm on Sunday and determined that the conditions were not being met for the animals.
Vaccaro and his girlfriend Tina Perna, 45, who also lives at the farm, were each charged with 15 counts of animal cruelty, Amato said.
They are expected to appear in court on March 23 on these charges in addition to other animal cruelty charges from September after animals were found tangled in wires, Amato said.
(nj.com - February 25, 2015)
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