Little Egg Harbor Man Pleads Guilty To Owning Vicious Dogs

LITTLE EGG HARBOR, NJ — A Little Egg Harbor man pleaded guilty Thursday to maintaining vicious dogs that attacked several people last year, police said.

Esau Morales, 28, has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and faces a $1,000 fine. He is prohibited from owning, possessing, controlling or harboring any animals in the future.

The plea was in relation to events that happened Feb. 3, 2020 when several people were attacked and bitten by three dogs belonging to Morales in Little Egg Harbor, police said.

The dogs bit a man and woman near Lake Winnipesaukee Drive. Little Egg Harbor police released a video of a man staving off the dogs as they surround and bark at him. Read more: Video: 3 Dogs 'Terrorize' Little Egg Harbor Before Capture

Police arrived at the scene around 2:15 p.m. and worked over the next hour to finally capture them.

Little Egg Harbor police responded to calls about the dogs seven times over the previous four months. Morales received several summonses for the prior incidents.

The dogs have bitten at least 12 people, not including unconfirmed reports, police said.

Animal control removed the dogs Dec. 10, 2020 but they were returned to their owner sometime after, police said. Police gave the dogs to animal control after the incident on Feb. 3, 2020.

This story contains reporting by Josh Bakan.

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