New Jersey's State Commission of Investigation says waste and abuse are still a big problem for the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Commission spokeswoman Kathy Riley says problems investigators identified 17 years ago are getting worse.
“We found that the NJSPCA was unable to respond to consistently respond to animal cruelty complaints, some of which were egregious, in a timely manner. We found instances of NJSPCA officers who believe that their policing powers extend beyond enforcement of the animal cruelty laws and engaged in duties such as traffic stops."
And Riley says there are other concerns.
"The organization also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on expenses that have nothing to do with helping animals, such as legal fees. Further we found that the organization has engaged in and tolerated waste and abuse and has routinely taken a cavalier approach to financial and operational accountability."
In response, the SPCA condemned the report, calling the claims of wrongdoing "unsubstantiated." It also asserts the commission "cherry picked" cases to make the SPCA look bad.
The commission says it issued the report to warn unwitting volunteers and donors who really do want to help abused animals.
Commission Cites Waste And Abuse At NJ SPCA
