Kitty-killer convicted

For those following the cat-murderer case in Aberdeen, Anthony Appolonia pleaded guilty to all 19 counts of animal abuse during a hearing in Freehold on Sept. 29.

Appolonia had obtained cats and kittens from area residents by answering ads in the newspapers, officials said, between October and December of 2007.

Appolonia admitted he would then beat and viciously hit the felines, breaking their bones with his bare hands. Then, he would then drown the cats and kittens in his bathtub, he said.

Monday's hearing was emotional for the people who were conned, some officials in attendance and Appolonia — who began to cry while admitting what he did to the animals.

There will be full coverage of the happenings on page 4 in Thursday's Courier as well as at Courier Online.

SPCA is making a difference for pets

The Monmouth County SPCA is a great organizatoin. I think its mission is a vital one. If anyone is considering adopting a new four-legged member of the family, they can click on the headline above for more information.

In the meantime, this is another time when I can again have an excuse to use a photo of my nine-year-old Old English bulldog, Winston. If nothing else, Winston is relaxed.