16 animals abandoned in home
Jamesburg, NJ (US)Incident Date: Friday, Oct 1, 1999
County: Middlesex
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Rickie Joseph Rakes, Jr.
» Christina S. Soto
Rickie Rakes, Jr, 24, has been charged with failing to provide proper food, drink and safe shelter to his pets.
When SPCA officer Jake Jacobs entered the rental house, he said he found "Dead animals were all over the place. There were dead rabbits on the couch, including three dead rabbits on the basement floor, and a ferret was dead in its cage. The house was littered with animal feces, and there were clothes all over the place."
Rakes had disappeared before local police and the SPCA visited the rental property. The landlord had called in the authorities when he saw the state of the house.
Rakes also received 16 counts of failing to provide proper food, drink and safe shelter to the household pets.
Jacobs and another SPCA officer arrested Rakes in South Brunswick on Oct 29. He was placed in the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center with a bail set at $5,000.
In the home was found, seven dead rabbits out of ten, one dead ferret. The three living rabbits, a second ferret and a chinchilla were not in very good health. Two pit bulls and a mixed German shepherd-collie were found to be in decent shape.
The exact cause of death for the animals is not known, but it is suspected they starved to death.
Rakes has 24 disorderly persons counts against him. Each carry a maximum $1,000 fine plus six months in jail. An identical 24 civil counts were also signed by the county SPCA. The maximum fine for each of these charges is $250.
Two complaints were also filed against Christina Soto, 19, who had been living with Rakes. Supposedly she was out of the house by August.
Soto has been charged with a disorderly complaint and civil complaint for allowing the death of the eight pets by failing to supply proper and safe shelter.
A court appearance of Dec 7 has been set for Municipal Court for both defendants.
Soto signed a surrender release on Oct 6 allowing the T. Blumig Kennels in East Brunswick to adopt the eight remaining animals. References- East Brunswick NJ Home News Tribune - Nov 5, 1999
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