Police seeking info about possible bird hanging

BRICK TOWNSHIP - Township police and the Jersey Shore Animal Center want to know who tied a noose around a red parrot's neck and hung the bird from a church door recently.

The bird, a banded Lored Amazon parrot, was found hanging from the front door of the First Baptist Church of Laurelton on Route 88 one afternoon last week, said Nancy Keklak, the animal center's kennel manager and an animal cruelty investigator for the Brick-based animal shelter.

"We had gotten a call about a dead bird," she said. "We went out assuming it was wildlife. One of my Animal Control officers brought back the body with the noose. I don't know if he was stolen, if somebody is missing the bird."

Brick police Detective Kenneth Steinberg is attempting to locate the owner, who apparently moved from Olympic Gardens several months ago, said Capt. Douglas Kinney.

"The investigation is continuing," Kinney said. "There was some sort of autopsy done on the bird. It didn't have a broken neck. It appears it may have been deceased prior to being placed where it was found."

Patricia Wallace, executive director of the animal center, said investigators are assuming it was an act of animal cruelty, unless it can be proven otherwise.

"You always have to go with your gut instinct as well," Wallace said.

Police are also still searching for anyone who might have information about an incident of extreme animal cruelty that led to a kitten's death in the Herbertsville section of the township. Shelter officials believe the incident happened late at night on Nov. 21 or during the early morning hours of Nov. 22.

Anyone with information on any of the incidents should contact the police department at (732) 262-1100, or the Jersey Shore Animal Center at (732) 920-1600.

- Patricia A. Miller