UPDATE ON McCann – Convicted Animal Abuser
Mr. McCann is FINALLY serving some of his 100 hour of community service picking up trash in Waterford. A portion of the money he was ordered to repay the vet that helped Coco and her puppies has also been paid back. NJAFA will be following Mr. McCann’s “community service” to ensure his 100 hours are completed.
Coco has found a loving home (thanks to another partner in rescue) and the five remaining pups are living happy lives.Here is Kona “Honey” Bear (named after the vet that saved her)
This has been a LONG and ARDUOUS journey for NJAFA. From Feb, 2007 to May, 2009.
COCO IS OFF HER CHAINS FOR LIFE
This poor dog has been living at the end of a chain for almost a decade. She has given birth to multiple litters and on Feb 7,2007 the coldest day of the year, her owner ex councilman Robert McCann from Chiselhurst, NJ had her chained to her dog house and knew she gave birth to l5 puppies yet did nothing to help keep them warm.
All but five puppies died and NJ Aid for Animals had to purchase the 24 hour old pups from Mr. McCann along with taking Coco to nurse them.
With the agreement we would give her BACK, we had to return Coco but not without being spayed. She cried the day we returned her and did not want to go with her abuser.
We returned her on April 25, 2007 to Mr. McCann who in turn gave her away to yet another abuser and for almost ANOTHER two years she has been chained up and abandoned at a trailer park.
Last week she was surrendered by her abuser.
Coco is now safe and will never be abused or chained again.
Mr. McCann who was charged with four counts of animal cruelty has tried to get the taxpayers to pay for his appeal by claiming indigency.
Too bad, Mr. McCann did not take the $500 Kathy McGuire offered for NJAFA to keep Coco in April,2007. He could have used that money to pay for the transcripts for his appeal.
11/2008 –
EX COUNCILMAN ROBERT McCANN LOSES HIS PETITION TO DENIAL TO APPEAL IN SUPERIOR COURT
After appealing his case for four counts of animal cruelty to the SUPREME COURT for indigency, Mr. McCann’s case has been DENIED!
This means he will now HAVE TO SERVE his COMMUNITY SERVICE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CAMDEN COUNTY ADULT PROBATION DEPARTMENT. He will also have to reimburse the vet that PAID OUT OF HER OWN POCKED for the nacropsy for the dead puppies and to treat the ones that ultimately died.
Only NJ Aid for Animals President, Kathy McGuire and the original prosecutor in this case have been diligent in following this animal abuser to this end. Watch this website to see where Mr. McCann will be doing his l00 hours of community service
RESPONSE TO the ANONYMOUS POSTER OF THE ABOVE MESSAGE:
Written by Kathy McGuire 12/8/2008:
Dear Person:
I am so happy you read our website. We appreciate all readers. We only publish what is happening in the case State of NJ vs Robert McCann per the prosecutors office and check all our sources before we publish anything. The most current update is true, Mr. McCann has lost his petition with the Supreme Court. I am allowing this letter one time only and my response as Mr. McCann and his followers are obsessed with harrassing our group and myself.
I am sorry you do not like what we publish however if you would like to get your own web site, perhaps then you could publish what you believe to think is the “true story”. I am also allowing your threats to be in a public forum in case anything that happens to myself or those within my sphere of influence we will know where to look.
Mr. McCann’s conviction was based solely on the testimony of the vet who assured the judge that he did indeed freeze the puppies to death. My part in the conviction of animal cruelty was merely to bring it to the attention of law enforcement.
It is good that Coco is fine considering she went back to Mr. McCann with Lyme and Heartworm she obtained by his failure to provide heartworm and lyme preventative.
I have never “passed myself off as law enforcement”. It is proper to say that I do have my credentials as a NJ State Animal Cruelty Investigator and Animal Control Officer through the NJ Dept of Health and Sr. Services but am not authorized by any municipality because I have never applied for the job with any of the 566 municipalities. As a private citizen just like yourself however I also have rights and exercise those rights.Also if a private citizen sees animal cruelty that citizen can go to their police and have the police issue summons under Title Four. The NJSPCA doesn’t have to do it unless the local municipality prefers they do. We will be facilitating a class with a Monmouth Co SPCA officer on this exact topic. Perhaps you would like to attend the workshop?
I attend the monthly NJSPCA board meetings and I guess if they thought I was impersonating myself as an SPCA officer they would have arrested me by now. However, I will let the President and Board of Directors know you are concerned about my representation. Perhaps you would like to talk to them directly?
The puppies we adopted to new homes were exactly five from the original l5 that were born and all ultimately froze to death. Mr. McCann himself told me on the phone that one “had died and Coco was trying to bury it in the frozen ground” although he denied this at the trial. (who was the liar at the trial?).
Part of the adoption fee was used to offset the $350 we had to give to Mr. McCann (we have his signature on the receipt) to get the 24 hour old puppies out of the freezing cold. Mr. McCann also illegally sold sick and underage puppies to us which we should have also warranted another summons. The adoption fees were used to offset the FOOD for Coco, provide WARM shelter for her and her puppies, FOOD for the pups as they got to be over five week and since they were adopted at exactly 9 weeks that is TWENTY WEEKS OF PUPPY FOOD we had to purchase.
You have NOT CONTACTED the owners because I too have spoken to them.
One family too three dogs and would not allow you on their premises
One family took one dog and the father is a police sgt
One family took one dog and would call the police if contacted by anyone about their dog other than
myself.
So who is the liar now?
It is nice reader that you have so much time on your hands. Perhaps you could loan Mr. McCann some money to pay his obligation to the vet. As the Judge said in Mr. McCann’s first appeal for indigency “Why should the taxpayers of NJ pay for your transcripts for you to appeal your case when in fact you are a grown man with no disabilities and are perfectly able to find suitable employment”.
My suggestion to Mr. McCann would be to get a JOB, pay what he owes to that poor vet who was so kind to help Coco with her infection after she gave birth tied to her doghouse in freezing cold weather and who helped all the frozen puppies that died one by one despite our best efforts to keep them alive and to serve his community time and get on with his life.
Best holiday wishes
Kathy McGuire, President
NJ AId for Animals
HAVE A COMMENT REGARDING THIS?…if so, email squinn9807@aol.com to have it posted.
UPDATE ON ROBERT McCANN ANIMAL ABUSER WATERFORD, NJ
Robert McCann, resident of Waterford, NJ and convicted animal abuser who has still not served his l00 hours of community service has appealed his indigency hearing (which means we taxpayers should “BAIL” him out to pay for his transcripts) and has been DENIED at every single appeal he has filed.
Watch this site for an update. Mr. McCann is out of legal maneuvers and he WILL be serving his community service before 2008 is up.
UPDATE – ROBERT McCANN, CONVICTED ANIMAL ABUSER…
18 months….. since Robert McCann of Chiselhurst, NJ left his dog Coco tied to her doghouse to give birth to 15 puppies outside on the coldest day of the year on Feb 7, 2007.
18 months ….since the puppies born in frigid weather and laid in the freezing cold for 24 hours before NJ Aid for Animals could purchase them from Mr. McCann for $350
18 months …..that the puppies died hour by hour once we got them to safety to our vet.
18 months….since all but five of the puppies died one by one……..READ FULL STORY
UPDATE McCANN INDIGENT HEARING
CONVICTED ANIMAL ABUSER ROBERT McCANN LOSES HIS INDIGENT HEARING – JUDGE ADMONISHES HIM “SHAME ON YOU FOR NOT WORKING GET A JOB”
May 9, 2008 – Today, Robert McCann appeared in the courtroom of Judge McNeill from Camden County Superior Court to plead his case that the taxpayers of the State of NJ should pay for his appeal fees and transcripts.
Judge McNeill was very terse in his decision saying that “you have not adequately proven that you are indigent as described in the words of Webster’s Dictionary.
Mr. McCann who testified in the April that he worked as a paralegal for three different law firms lied today under oath when he failed to include that on his affidavit proving indigence AND when the judge questioned him. It was only when the prosecutor from the Coco case, David Mapp, told the judge he had evidence Mr. McCann was lying about his income that Mr. McCann tap danced and said “oh well I don’t really work for anyone as a paralegal I just consider myself one because I have been pro se for so long and I am so good at it”.
Mr. McCann also went on to testify that he was fired from his last three jobs and has lawsuits with all of them for racially motivated terminations. He did win a lawsuit with Radio Shack with whom he worked for $l2,000 (again for “racial problems”)
When Judge McNeill admonished Mr. McCann for essentially “lying to the court” and denying his motion for indigency, Mr. McCann asked the judge what the next step would be that Mr. McCann could appeal this decision wherein, the judge said succinctly:
“You are the paralegal, you figure it out, I am under no obligation to give you legal advice” Finally a judge with some balls!
NOT LIKE JUDGE GOLDEN who offered Mr. McCann all the free legal advice during Coco’s testimony. Anyone listening to the testimony of Mr. McCann at the trial in April and the judge’s obsequious proffering to the defendant , would have thought that Judge was on the side of the animal abuser.
Robert McCann stormed out of the courtroom and told the judge and the prosecutors there that “this hearing will be appealed”.
Now Mr. McCann has to appeal the hearing to demonstrate his indigent state and convince the judge in the new hearing that he is in fact indigent. Then if and when that can be done, he can proceed with his taxpayer funds to “purchase” the transcripts of which he needs to appeal his case. (Anything to get out of l00 hours of community service and that money owed to Honey Rothberg).
By irony of this appeal today is guess who the judge will be hearing the appeal of this hearing? You got it Judge McNeill.
Ex-Chesilhurst councilman guilty of animal cruelty
(From Courier-Post) Robert McCann, a former Chesilhurst councilman, was convicted Thursday of four counts of animal cruelty after a municipal court judge found he had failed to provide sufficient shelter for a dog after she delivered a litter of puppies in a cold snap last winter.
Specially appointed Municipal Judge William Golden dismissed five additional animal cruelty counts. He imposed a $1,200 fine on McCann, ordered him to pay $894.93 restitution to the animal hospital that cared for the dog and puppies, and also ordered 100 hours of community service.
Golden suspended imposition of the sentence while McCann, 51, appeals the conviction.
McCann, who was a member of the borough council when he was charged with the offenses in February 2007, said the charges were filed in retaliation after he filed notice he planned to seek election as mayor in the Camden County municipality.
A paralegal, McCann said prosecution witnesses, including representatives of animal welfare groups, had lied about him and portrayed him as “some kind of monster.”
Golden said he “knows nothing about political machinations” that led to the disorderly persons charges.
He described McCann as “a good enough gentleman who used bad judgment.”
Golden found that some testimony presented by witnesses called by David Mapp, a specially-appointed municipal prosecutor for the case, was unchallenged. That included testimony that a Labrador-retriever mix female dog, Coco, that McCann had cared for for about six years delivered a litter of puppies before dawn in February 2001.
The day of the birth of the puppies, and the size of the litter, were not certain, Golden found. The adult dog and the puppies were inside an Igloo-style doghouse while the temperature was about 22 degrees.
McCann said he did not attempt to bring the dogs inside his house, but advised a member of the family to put some hay inside the doghouse and to make no attempt to touch the puppies.
The day after the birth of the puppies, Kathy McGuire, founder of New Jersey Aid for Animals, a nonprofit animal rescue group, paid McCann $250, according to her testimony, and took the adult dog and between 12 and 15 puppies to the Marlton Animal Hospital in Evesham. Only five of the puppies survived. Veterinarian Dr. Honey Rothberg determined the rest of the litter died of complications from hypothermia.
Rothberg had testified newborn puppies should be kept in an area where temperatures are about 85 degrees. She said the body temperatures of the puppies brought to her were so low they did not register on a thermometer.
The five puppies that survived were adopted, McGuire said, and Coco was spayed before being returned to McCann in April 2007.
3/7/08 – COCO’s DAY IN COURT has FINALLY COME !
August 15th, 2008
ROBERT McCANN, CONVICTED ANIMAL ABUSER.
18 months….. since Robert McCann of Chiselhurst, NJ left his dog Coco tied to her doghouse to give birth to 15 puppies outside on the coldest day of the year on Feb 7, 2007.18 months ….since the puppies born in frigid weather and laid in the freezing cold for 24 hours before NJ Aid for Animals could purchase them from Mr. McCann for $350
18 months …..that the puppies died hour by hour once we got them to safety to our vet.
18 months….since all but five of the puppies died one by one
18 months….. since NJ Aid for Animals had a necropsy done of one of the dead puppies and it was proven they died of sepsis brought on my hypothermia from being born outside and LEFT outside the first 24 hours of their life
14 months…. to get this animal abuser to trial.
4 months…..since this animal abuser was convicted of four counts of animal cruelty and was ordered to pay restitution to the vet and 100 hours of community service.
4 months…..since Mr. McCann of Chiselhurst, NJ has been trying to appeal his case telling the judge he has to first file as an indigent to be able to file for the original appeal. He filed an indigent motion to get his transcripts for free. Judge told him the taxpayers would NOT pay for his appeal. Appeal for indigency was denied.
7 days ….. until his assignment of adult probation and community service, Mr. McCann is appealing the appeal of the indigency case judge saying he is indeed indigent and taxpayers should pay for his transcripts. The judge told him “go get a job”.
Kathy McGuire, President of NJ Aid for Animals has been and will continue to follow this case until Robert McCann of Chiselhurst,NJ completes his l00 hours of community service and provides restitution to the vet.
I have spent hundreds of hours preparing documents, following the case, phoning, letter writing, working with the prosecutor, following up at Chiselhurst Municipal Court, documenting and appearing in court to insure that Mr. McCann WILL do his l00 hours of community service and WILL reimburse the vet that was so kind to help these puppies. At the last appeal in Camden I was the only person in the audience.
Once again, like you all did before, we need letters to Judge Golden to “gently remind” him that this is frivolous and indulgent and the court should not entertain using any more of the taxpayers time in both the Superior and Appellate Courts to hear these motions. The case should be “dismissed” and Mr. McCann should be forced to serve his community time.
While we believe that everyone should have their day in court, Mr. McCann did have his day in court and justice needs to be served.
Judge William Golden
City Hall
313 Monmouth St
Gloucester City, NJ 08030
6/14/08 UPDATE ON COCO AND ROBERT McCANN
Coco, according to the NJSPCA, has been seen and treated by a vet for her Lyme’s Disease. Although Coco also has heartworm, the NJSPCA will not force the owners to treat Coco for her heartworm. Coco is with owners that supposedly are keeping her in a good environment.
As for Mr. McCann, the animal abuser, he is doing everything he can to slip out of his conviction of animal abuse. It could be up to six months to one year waiting for all the appeals.
Since he lost his indigency hearing on May 7, he is appealing Judge McNeal’s decision on not granting him indigency (which would have meant the state WE TAXPAYERS would have had to pay for his filing fee and the transcripts of his trial).
He has also filed a motion with the Appellate Court to proceed ANYWAY as an indigent and for the state to waive the filing fee of $200.00
June 30 the Appellate Court will rule.If indegenicy is denied he will have to pay filing fee of $200.00 to start his appeal of Judge Golden’s conviction. If he doesn’t pay the filing fee, his appeal will be dismissed.
Mr. McCann is very very good at being a habitual litigious individual. He has sued several of his former employees for race discrimination. He knows the system and how to work it to his advantage. We, however, are committed to following this case to the end.We are watching you and you know who you are.
We will give you an update on June 30.
Check out the NEWS Video from today, March 7th
Kathy McGuire took the witness stand for Coco and her puppies today, March 7th, at the McCANN vs. NJSPCA Court Hearing. Court will reconvene Thursday, March 13th at 2pm. Be sure to check our website for updates and come to Court next week to show your support for Coco and her pups!
– UPDATE Feb. 11, 2008
FINAL TRIAL SET FOR ALLEGED PUPPY MURDERER IN SOUTH JERSEY WHO LEFT HIS DOG CHAINED OUTSIDE WHILE GIVING BIRTH TO FIFTEEN PUPPIES…ALL BUT FIVE DIED
McCann vs. NJSPCA
New trial date is Friday, March 7 at 10:00 am Chiselhurst Court
Chiselhurst Court
201 Grant Avenue
Chesilhurst, NJ 08089
Tel: 856 767 4153 Fax: 856 753 1696
For those of you who have followed this case for over one year (the surviving puppies just celebrated their one year birthday on February 7), we greatly appreciate the time you have taken to write letters to the judge and the prosecutor and for your patience.
We appreciate the diligence of those who are following it and have wanted to appear at the court and all the times we have had to tell you it has been “postponed again”.
NJ Aid for Animals has been calling the Municipal Court on a weekly basis to keep after this case and to make sure it doesn’t fall between the cracks of the judicial system. We will make sure Coco has her day in court and the dead puppies do to.
The judge allowed the defendant to find a new lawyer or to make a decision to represent himself which is why it was postponed on February 1. This time it will not be postponed again. It seems the defendant is very slippery in finding ways to slither out of his court dates with myriad of excuses. Kathy McGuire who will be the main witness besides the vet who did the nacropsy have stood steadfast in our commitment to bring this case to trial.
Please crosspost this to all your fellow animal supporters so we can all show up strong there on March 7 and see our website for video and details of this case (and pictures of some of the dead puppies). www.njafa.org
UPDATE Feb. 3, 2008
STATEMENT FROM KATHY McGuire, President of NJ Aid for Animals
Many of you following this case (www.njafa.org Councilman McCann) that was scheduled for Friday, Feb 1 at 9:30 am and was cancelled AGAIN should write to the judge and let him know that this case has gone on long enough and that the Defendant has been given more than an appropriate amount of time to decide whether or not:
a) he can afford a lawyer
b) he wants to represent himself (Pro Se)
c) to advise the court that if he cannot afford one, one would be provide for him.
All of us involved in this case have now taken time off work to show up or rearranged our schedules at least five times just to be told the morning of the trial that is has been rescheduled because of the Defendants confusion as to how he wants to “be represented”.
Because the poor Municipal Clerk Administrator at Chiselhurst (where the actual trial is being heard) is the one bearing the brunt of all the phone calls and letters, perhaps we need to let the JUDGE at Gloucester City (who is HEARING the case) handle myriad of calls and letters.
I urge you to write a letter to Judge Wm. Golden at Gloucester City Municipal Court at 313 Monmouth St, Gloucester City, NJ 08030 FAX: 856 456 3065 to encourage him to set a date for this trial.
The vet, myself as the main witness, an agent of the NJSPCA and other interested parties are rearranging their schedules now for a whole year.
In the interest of good faith and in order for both parties to be represented fairly, we agree that Mr. McCann should be allowed to retain proper representation. However, even given the fact that his original counsel left, the defendant has still had enough time to ascertain whether he wants to represent himself (pro se) or look through a phone book to find legal counsel. The Defendant should also know that he is able to take advantage of a lawyer being chosen for him if he cannot afford one.
We would urge interested parties to contact Judge Golden and ask him to set a court date
UPDATE 1/14/08 – Trial scheduled for Feb. 1st 9:30am…..CANCELLED AGAIN
State of NJSPCA vs. Robert McCann scheduled to go forward on Friday, February 1, 2008 at 9:30 am in Chiselhurt Court.
This case WILL GO FORWARD as a prosecutor from Trenton is coming down to hear this case.
Almost one year to the day (February 7, 2007) one of the COLDEST DAYS OF 2007 )10 degrees) Robert McCann allowed his chocolate lab, Coco, to be CHAINED TO HER DOGHOUSE AND GIVE BIRTH TO FIFTEEN PUPPIES. Three were dead when we arrived to purchase them for $250.00
The day after the birth of the puppies while Coco was STILL CHAINED outside and still one of the coldest days of the year (l2 degrees), NJAFA PURCHASED the remaining puppies for $250.00 but it was too late. Only five pups were strong enough to survive and are now living in great homes.
CHECK OUT HOW THE SURVIVING PUPS ARE DOING….CLICK HERE
It is not TOO LATE TO WRITE LETTERS TO Chiselhurst Court RE: NJSPCA vs. McCann
201 Grant Avenue
Chesilhurst, N.J. 08089
Tel. # 856-767-4153 or 4156
Fax # 856-753-1696
UPDATE 12/10/07 – TRIAL HAS BEEN POSTPONED AGAIN!!! COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANT McCANN HAS RESIGNED AND THE COUNCILMAN WILL NOW HAVE TO FIND NEW REPRESENTATION. WE WILL ALERT YOU WHEN THERE IS A NEW TRIAL DATE. WE WILL KEEP THIS INFORMATION ON THE FRONT PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE UNTIL COCO AND THE DEAD PUPPIES HAVE THEIR DAY IN COURT OR THERE IS AN OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENT REACHED.
UPDATE 11/13/07
The court case is coming up on Friday, December l4 at 9:30 am in Chiselhurst, NJ (near Waterford and Atco) at 201 Grant Ave in the Municipal Building.
Thanks to everyone who showed up last time. A conflict judge and prosecutor have been brought in for this case so the case WILL BE HEARD and decided on that day.
Councilman McCann wanted a JURY TRIAL but it was DENIED. Kathy McGuire will be testifying on this day for the NJSPCA.
If you would like to let the judge and prosecutor know how you feel about this, please send your concerns to this address;
201 Grant Avenue
Chesilhurst, N.J. 08089
Tel. # 856-767-4153 or 4156
Fax # 856-753-1696
CHAINED DOG GIVES BIRTH TO FIFTEEN PUPPIES IN FRIGID WEATHER, ALL BUT FIVE DIE…
Coco was CHAINED to her doghouse on the coldest day of 2007, February 7 in Councilman Robert McCann’s backyard and gave birth to FIFTEEN puppies while he and his mother, Rita Dickerson, stood by and watched. When we asked why they didn’t let her in, they said “She has never been in the house and has been chained for nine years and has always had her pups outside”.
NJAFA had to purchase the puppies to get them out of the cold and rent the mother for $250 so the puppies could live. The owner would not let us have the puppies unless we agreed to RETURN Coco after the babies were weaned. We agreed but not without her being spayed. We also then had to purchase another puppy for another $l00. All but 5 puppies died due to hypothermia.
Sadly, we were forced to return Coco after she was done weaning the surviving puppies. Unfortunately, Coco also now has been diagnosed with Lyme and Heartworm disease.
NJ SPCA filed cruelty charges to Chiselhurst City Councilman Robert McCann, 225 White Horse Pike, Chiselhurst, NJ, on May 1, 2007 for failure to provide proper shelter.
Click here to watch CBS News Report
UPDATE 11/6/07
THE WHEELS OF JUSTICE TURN SLOWLY
For those of you that have been following the court dates (and the frustration of the court system!), we appreciate your patience while the dates have been postponed.
Because the prosecutor of a municipality is essentially the “employee” of the municipality, it would be unethical for that prosecutor to hear the case of a council person. The case had to be moved to a “conflict court” and then because one of the individuals involved in the new “conflict court” knew one of the players, the case had to be moved AGAIN.
With the case now BACK in Chiselhurst, it still CANNOT be heard by the same prosectur that is still the same employee of the Councilman. Ergo, a NEW judge and a NEW prosecutor have to be pulled from another municipality who knows NONE OF THE PLAYERS. WHEW!!! This has been done and a judge from Gloucester City and a prosecutor from TRENTON will be hearing this case in a “conflict court”.
UPDATE 10/24/07
UPDATE ON CHISELHURST TRIAL-COUNCILMAN McCann. This case will be heard on either November 29 or 30th at l:00 pm at Chiselhurst Court.
Please watch this site carefully or sign up on our email friend’s list and you will receive an alert automatically when the trial date is set.
Please plan on coming out that day to give justice to Coco.