TNTON FALLS — Officials say that the man who claimed to have rescued a box of newborn puppies from the trash was partly responsible for abandoning them in the first place.

The helpless puppies were dehydrated and lethargic when they were turned over to animal welfare authorities in February. Some still had their umbilical cords still attached and two of them eventually died.

Monmouth County SPCA Executive Director Ross Licitra said investigators determined that the dogs belonged to the son of the good Samaritan who had contacted the MCSPCA with the supposed discovery.

David M. Hunsinger 31, of Neptune, couldn't afford to take care of a litter of puppies birthed by one of his two dogs. Hunsinger boxed them up and turned them over to his father and together concocted a story about them being abandoned, Licitra said.

Puppies abandoned at the Collingswood Auction by their owner
Puppies abandoned at the Collingswood Auction by their owner (MCSPCA)
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Charges for the owner

Hunsinger was charged Thursday with two counts of animal cruelty/neglect and four counts of failure to provide necessary care of a newborn puppy less than 24 hours old.

Two of the puppies have died since being found. The cause of death was caused by removing them from their mother prematurely, according to Licitra.

The father of the owner has not been charged.

"This so clearly could have been avoided by giving a call to the Monmouth County SPCA and just asking for assistance. We gladly would have taken the puppies and the mother for a short while to allow the mother to raise the puppies and, of course, returned the mother to the owner if they found themselves in a financial situation," Licitra said.

Licitra, who is also a first-term Monmouth County commissioner, said the MCSPCA will always follow up on cases, especially in unusual circumstances, to determine their legitimacy.

Hunsinger has also agreed to have the MCSPCA spay his dog.

Puppy abandoned at the Collingswood Auction by their owner
Puppy abandoned at the Collingswood Auction by their owner (MCSPCA)
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Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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