Francis Ciemniecki and Robert Ciemniecki, of Phillipsburg, NJ, have now been charged with third and fourth degree offenses stemming from decades of hoarding potentially hundreds of animals, including dogs and cats. Many have perished in this time frame.

These dogs were living in horrendous conditions, being forced to sleep in their own urine and feces. Most of them were shoved into a damp dark basement, never to see the light of day or get a breath of fresh air due to all the windows being boarded up. Newborn litters of puppies were being stored in dresser drawers.

Neither Francis or Robert ever provided vet care for any of the dogs. They were reproducing at an alarming rate. Some of the younger ones became aggressive, injuring the older ones. Their health was extremely neglected resulting in severe infections, deformities, rotted teeth, untreated wounds, excruciating daily pain, and death! 

Ultimately around 50 of these dogs were then dumped across 4 locations in Sussex County during the Tornado warning on March 16th, 2026. It took 2 weeks to capture them all and the death toll is up to 6 that we know of. Some may have perished during those 2 weeks or after in the woods that have not been found yet. This extreme Hoarding Case is directly linked to the pair who are being tried by the Sussex County Prosecutor for the Dog Dumping Case. 

It is crucial that these heinous acts of animal cruelty are met with strong, decisive legal action. In the past, Francis and Robert had several run ins with the local PD which ultimately amounted to nothing due to the supposed lack of evidence despite continuous neighborhood complaints of the overwhelming stench that came from the property. Therefore, we urgently call on the Warren County Prosecutor's Office to ensure that justice is served based on the overwhelming evidence by pursuing the maximum lawful sentence for all persons involved and not agree to Pre-Trial Intervention. We ask that this does not get ignored as it did by the local PD many times before. By doing so, we send a clear message that our community will not tolerate such inhumane treatment of animals. Furthermore, we demand that these individuals be barred from owning any animals in the future.