A Montgomery County woman, despondent about her finanacial woes and the care of 29 pets, is being charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty after trying to kill her cats and a dog with rat poison.

Here's the report from my colleague Bonnie Cook: 

Linda Muchnick was charged yesterday with one count of cruelty by killing an animal, and 28 counts of attempted animal cruelty by poisoning, Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said.

Muchnick set out dishes of pet food mixed with blue DeCon rat poison pellets last week at her home on Bishopwood Blvd. East, in Harleysville, Towamencin Township, Ferman said.

There was water, but no other pet food in the house for 28 cats and one dog, said Carmen J. Ronio, executive director of the Montgomery County SPCA, which began an investigation of the incident Friday.

Muchnick, 56, was in protective custody at the psychiatric emergency intake unit at Norristown State Hospital, officials said. A warrant was issued for her arrest Monday, but it was unclear when it would be served.

The animals corralled in two rooms had been denied food for several days before the poisoned food was set out, Ronio said.

"I'm saddened by the desperation of this woman . . . and I'm saddened by the fact that these animals had to be treated in this way," Ronio said.

"This is the first time in my 38 years [in shelter work] where people have been overwhelmed to the point where they would destroy their own animals."

Police went to the house Thursday after they received a call from Lower Salford authorities reporting that a local veterinary clinic had received a letter from Muchnick saying mounting financial problems made her realize "suicide was the only solution."

"It would be best for her pets if she killed them along with herself so they could be together in heaven," the note read, according to a court affidavit.

Police found Muchnick unresponsive on the floor in the stifling house and rushed her to Abington Health Lansdale Hospital; it was not clear if she had tried to take her own life. A hospital spokesman did not return a call for comment today.

At the same time, Towamencin officers called the Montgomery SPCA, which sent humane officer Rhonda Thomas to the home. Thomas said blue pellets in the food and the sluggishness of the animals pointed to poisoning; she rushed the pets to county rescue shelters in Conshohocken, Abington and Perkiomenville.

One cat died in transit, Thomas said. The other 27 and the dog will be receiving injections of vitamin K, the treatment for rat-pellet poisoning, for the next two weeks.

The dozen or so cats housed in Conshohocken appeared alert and were eating and responding to treatment today. It was too soon to say what the long-term effects of the poison would be. A necropsy was performed on the dead cat.

"We are 99.9 percent sure that the cat died of rat poison," Ronio said.

Ronio said rat poison is a blood-thinning agent that works by inducing internal bleeding.
 

Eagles president Joe Banner met with local shelter and rescue groups today in what animal welfare advocates hope will be the first step in the team's effort to respond to the plague of dog fighting in Philadelphia.

"It was a very good meeting," said Tom Hickey Sr., founder of DogPac political advocacy group and a member of the state Dog Law Advisory Board. "Ninety percent of the meeting was about what the Eagles can do locally."

The individual who prompted the discussion, Michael Vick, was not present, nor was he the focus of the discussion, Hickey said. Vick, who has pledged to be an anti-cruelty "ambassador" to inner city communities as part of his rehabilitation, is working with the Humane Society of the United States' anti-dog fighting campaign.

"We feel with bringing Michael Vick to Philadelphia that we have an obligation to work with the community, to educate and work with kids, particularly," said Pamela Browner Crawley, a spokeswoman for the Philadelphia Eagles, told Fox-TV. 

Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham said the meeting was a "good first step with regard to animal cruelty and abuse."

Among the attendees were representatives from the Humane Society of the United States, SPCAs from Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, Montgomery and Delaware counties, Morris Animal Refuge, Camden Humane Society, Main Line Animal Rescue and Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS).

Hickey said Banner told them he would convene a small group follow up meeting after reviewing notes on the meeting which lasted just over two hours.

The Gap goes cageless. Gap Inc. - parent company of the Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy - has joined the list of leading California companies—like Google, Yahoo! and Bon Appétit Management Company—in switching to cage-free eggs for its corporate cafeterias. The decision came after the San Francisco-based company learned that factory farms confine most egg-laying hens in the U.S. in tiny battery cages where each hen has less space than a standard sheet of paper on which to live for more than a year before she’s slaughtered. California voters last year passed the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act outlawing the confinement of hens in battery cages statewide (with a phase-out). National chains Burger King, Wendy’s, Quiznos and Denny’s have also started using cage-free eggs.

Dog my ride - Time was when cowboys tossed old Ranger in the back of the pick up and took off down dusty roads. Today - not only is that kind of riding illegal in most places -  but many pet owners are thinking about car safety for their pets and there are all kinds of nifty features available including ramps, climate control and confinement systems. Now pet safety and automotive experts teamed up to come up with the Top 10 pet vehicles.  Here's the list.

Crime and Punishment - It's been six weeks since a Northeast Philadelphia family's house was broken into and their beloved parrot Tex swiped, along with computers and jewelry and other items. Jackie and Barry Miller returned home from vacation July 7 to find their home ransacked and Tex - a 24-year old bluefront Amazon parrot gone. The Millers desperately want their family member to come home safely. My colleague Gloria Campisi of the Daily News has the story here.

A central Pennsylvania woman has been charged with fatally stabbing her live-in boyfriend of five years during a dispute that reportedly began as an argument over her feeding the dog before serving him dinner. Pamela Poorman, 55, is charged with killing 51-year-old Larry Coletti on Thursday night in Annville Township. Police say the couple had come home with takeout food and began arguing, then physically fighting. Poorman told police she picked up a knife to scare Coletti and then stabbed him. She later said she was being beaten and "had to stop it." Poorman was taken to Lebanon County Prison without bail.

Keeping horses out of slaughter houses -The Humane Society of the United States has released a national list of humane resources for horse owners making end-of-life arrangements for their equine companions. The list includes state-by-state information on low-cost euthanasia programs, equine crematories, horse cemeteries, rendering facilities and landfills. State agriculture and veterinary contacts and state regulations are also included. A recent survey of equine veterinarians and carcass disposal service providers indicated it costs about $300 for humane euthanasia and carcass disposal. In most parts of the country, this cost is equal to or less than the cost of one month’s care. With proper care, horses can live well into their 20s and 30s. The latest available data shows there are more than 9 million horses in the United States, making this resource a valuable tool for the millions of Americans involved with horses.

My colleague Troy Graham reports that today officers from the Pennsylvania SPCA uncovered a dog-fighting ring at an East Germantown home and rescued several badly injured pit bulls found there.

Here's his story:

Following a tip to an animal cruelty hotline, the officers discovered two dead dogs and five others at the home, in the 200 block of East Bringhurst Street.

Three men, including the property owner and the alleged ringleader, are facing charges.

The bust comes in the wake of the Philadelphia Eagles' signing of quarterback Michael Vick, the country's best-known former dog-fighter.

Vick, who served 18 months in federal prison for running a dog-fighting operation, has pledged to speak out on the issue, casting a spotlight on the problem of dog-fighting in the city.

Monday, the Eagles plan to host a summit of area animal welfare groups at the NovaCare complex, the team's South Philadelphia training facility. Vick is not expected to attend.

"This particular bust is especially timely," said Gail Luciani, the chief public relations officer for the Pennsylvania SPCA, which is the only group in Philadelphia that employs humane law enforcement officers.

The humane officer who responded to yesterday's tip found two dead dogs in the yard of the home on East Bringhurst, and five others tied up nearby.

"The dogs were all scarred," said George Bengal, director of law enforcement for the Pennsylvania SPCA. "One appeared to have been in a real recent fight . . . He was still bleeding."

An 18-year-old man at the home told the officer that he was leaving with one of the dogs, then got into an altercation with the officer, Bengal said.

The man fled with the dog before being arrested.

Bengal said that the man was in charge of training the dogs. He also served as the "cut man."

"If the dogs were injured in a fight and they were worth saving, he was the one who tried to bring them back to health," Bengal said.

Bengal said he could not release the man's identity because charges had not been filed yesterday.

Charges were also pending against the owner of the home and a third man, identified as the leader of this particular dog-fighting ring.

Bengal said people who wanted to fight their dogs brought them to the home for training. Fights also were held there as recently as two days ago, he said.

"That whole block is a Mecca for fighting," Bengal said.

He said his officers investigate an average of 50 to 75 complaints of dog-fighting each month, most of them called in to the hotline.

To file reports of dog-fighting and other animal cruelty, contact the Pennsylvania SPCA at 1-866-601-SPCA or cruelty@pspca.org.
 

Almost a week after the Eagles announced they had signed America's best known convicted dog fighter, a Philadelphia man learned he will get prison time for dog fighting.

On Wednesday Common Pleas Court Judge Roger Gordon convicted Anthony Clark on two counts of felony animal fighting for his role in a Philadelphia dog-fighting ring. Clark was also convicted on three misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and a felony drug charge of possession with intent to deliver.

He was sentenced to a total of four to eight years in prison: a mandatory three to six years for the drug charge followed by one to two years for the dog fighting case.

The conviction ends one of hundreds of dog fighting cases reported in the city each year - and the numbers are increasing, said the Pennsylvania SPCA. On January 20, the PSPCA joined Philadelphia police when Clark was arrested on drug charges. Two puppies and three adult pit bull mixes were found in the basement of the house where Clark lived; one dog had extensive bite wounds and needed immediate surgery, which was performed by PSPCA. Another dog died shortly after Clark’s arrest from nerve damage in his leg, that resulted from living in a cage that was too small for him.

“We agree with the judge's decision to convict this defendant and sentence him to prison,” said Assistant District Attorney Barbara Paul. “The evidence shows clearly how these animals suffered, and we are satisfied that justice was done.”

“We applaud both Judge Gordon and Assistant District Attorney Paul for their commitment to justice for the animals involved in this case,” said Pennsylvania SPCA CEO Sue Cosby. “Our statistics for animal fighting are on the increase – from approximately 200 cases in all of 2008 to 400 so far this year. We are proud of the work our officers do to fight cruelty, neglect and abuse in the city of Philadelphia and beyond, every single day.”

In addition to the sentence, Clark was ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution to the PSPCA for the veterinary care of the dogs.

Vega, the 7-month-old pit bull puppy stolen from a Lancaster shelter in a brazen break-in on Tuesday, is safe.

Authorities received an anonymous tip that a dog matching the description of the stolen puppy was seen tied up at a business in Lancaster and recovered him there, according to Fox 43 TV. 

Police found Vega around 3 a.m. tied out with a bag of toys beside him.

The Humane League of Lancaster County said Vega is in good condition and was identified through his microchip.

"We are all so relieved. We had great concerns about Vega's health and safety given the nature of the break in, " Megan Gallagher, a shelter spokeswoman, told Fox.

Vega was apparently targeted in an overnight break-in at the shelter on Tuesday. The thief disabled the power, broke a padlock and pried off a window to get inside. He then snatched Vega from his pen and fled.

Shelter staff feared that the puppy could have been stolen for breeding or dog fighting.

Vega should be heading to his forever home soon. He was scheduled to be adopted on Thursday.

"We are so happy that he will be able to be reunited with his adoptive family," Gallagher said.
 

More than a week after the Michael Vick deal became public, the nation's oldest animal welfare group has weighed in. In a stinging statement released yesterday, the ASPCA condemned "60 Minutes" for giving Vick a forum and said it was "extremely disappointed" with the Eagles owner Jeff Lurie for hiring him.

The group says that Vick's PR team approached them about working with him but the APSCA turned Vick down. [The Humane Society of the United States later agreed to give Vick an opportunity to work with their inner city anti-dog fighting campaign and he has so far made appearances in Chicago and Atlanta.] 

Here is the statement released by Ed Sayres, the ASPCA president and CEO:

NEW YORK— Ed Sayres, President and CEO of The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) issued the following statement regarding Michael Vick’s interview with 60 Minutes:

After careful consideration, we have decided to speak out now about Michael Vick because of the special circumstances involving the ASPCA. Several months ago, Mr. Vick's PR representatives approached the ASPCA to help educate America about the heinous act of dog fighting following his release from prison. We were the first animal welfare organization given the opportunity to work with Mr. Vick but immediately turned him down due to the unique knowledge we had of his indescribable and barbaric acts of animal cruelty where he and his associates savagely electrocuted and beat dogs to death after they lost their brutal fights.

The ASPCA's general consultation and our specific role in processing the forensic evidence in this case were key elements that resulted in Mr. Vick and the three other defendants all pleading guilty to felony crimes. As such, this organization and I personally have seen the acts of cruelty committed by Mr. Vick first hand-- acts so heinous that the public has never laid witness to them. And now that Mr. Vick has spoken out for the first time since his release from prison, the ASPCA wants to make clear why this organization chose not to partner with him in his supposed rehabilitation efforts. We are simply not convinced that Mr. Vick has demonstrated compassion toward animals as living beings or the necessary remorse for his criminal actions against them.

60 Minutes provided a convicted criminal a national platform to selfishly focus on his own recovery when, in fact, the animals, the victims who cannot speak for themselves, should have received the attention. CBS did a grave disservice to the animal welfare community by failing to show the ugly truth of Mr. Vick’s actions and the horrors of dog fighting and animal cruelty in this country. The continued attention paid to Mr. Vick is only reinforcing that criminal behavior does not destroy fame and fortune.

The ASPCA works every day to prevent animal cruelty, in the absence of tougher, more consistent laws and lack of education and awareness. We serve as the animals' voice, as millions of animals suffer alone and in silence because they cannot speak out against their perpetrators. When a crime against animals is committed, the ASPCA's priorities are to build a sound case that results in successful prosecution of the perpetrators, as well as the rehabilitation of the victims. Our direct involvement in the Vick case yielded success in both areas, and in fact, we work every day to ensure perpetrators like him are behind bars.

Although Mr. Vick has served his time and is now entitled to employment, the ASPCA was strongly against him being able to immediately re-join the NFL, to play alongside highly paid elite athletes who are looked upon as our heroes and role models. Today, it is difficult to see him in the uniform of a Philadelphia Eagle because of the startling lack of judgment and moral character he has demonstrated over the past several years. It is questionable whether he will have any credibility as an educator on the dog fighting issue. The ASPCA welcomes a national conversation on animal cruelty and especially dog fighting, but questions Mr. Vick’s ability to lead it. The ASPCA will heighten its efforts to bring this national travesty to the surface through meaningful education and discussion that brings the hard, cold sickening reality of a fight into stark relief for those who might wonder why all the fuss about a dog fight. A true national discussion would focus not on one man and his crimes, but on a nation that allows dog fighting to happen every day without a national outcry. This is where the ASPCA will focus its energies in the coming months.

Mr. Vick has indeed been given another chance to play football with the Philadelphia Eagles. It is important to state that the ASPCA is extremely disappointed that owner Jeff Lurie hired him for his team before it was clear that Mr. Vick has truly developed a sense of compassion for his victims, the animals whose lives were taken by him. The ASPCA believes in second chances-- in redemption-- but that second chance has to be earned through contrition, conversion to the cause of animal welfare and finally, through hard work. Mr. Vick has only now begun his journey toward a second chance. It will be a long and hard road for him, and while we wish him well, we also want to remind the nation that the work of ridding the nation of dog fighting is as compelling a story as one man’s path to redemption. Let’s not forget to focus on the animals, the crimes that are still being committed every day in the United States. What are we, as a nation, going to do about that? How are we going to express our outrage long past the first time Mr. Vick takes the field in Philadelphia?

Compassion for animals is the hallmark of the ASPCA and the ultimate message that we hope is gleaned from this horrific story. While this case has garnered the national spotlight because of Mr. Vick’s notoriety, it is the end result that will matter most. Will Mr. Vick have learned something—and taken the opportunity he has been granted to impart to his legion of fans the importance of compassion toward animals? Certainly, only time will offer us an answer—but we will be watching.

The Philadelphia Eagles have called for a meeting with area animal welfare groups Monday to discuss dogfighting in the wake of their signing Michael Vick.

When asked about the format, the Eagles said they would “just listen,” said Gail Luciani, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania SPCA.

She said the Eagles were going to invite a lot of animal welfare groups, seeking to be inclusive, including the Chester County SPCA, Delaware County SPCA and Main Line Animal Rescue.

Michael Vick will not attend the meeting, Luciani said.

The Humane Society of the United States - with whom Vick is working to combat fighting across the country - also is participating in the meeting.

"It's really the Eagles' meeting and not HSUS's," said president Wayne Pacelle. "It's really the Eagles meeting and not HSUS's. Our trajectory is clear. We want to get Vick in front of at-risk kids, and do so in Philadelphia and in other urban centers around the country."

Tom Hickey, founder of DogPac political advocacy group and a member of the state Dog Law Advisory Board, said he hopes the meeting will produce "an action plan" to help victims of dog fighting.

"We need a plan to address the issue in Philadelphia and surrounding area," he said. "I hope the Eagles get involved and help dogs caught up in this horrible enterprise."

The meeting is set for 5 p.m. at the NovaCare complex. 

Steve Hoffman of Lansdale never considered himself an animal rightist. He said he's just a regular animal lover with a rescue cat, who brings ribbon-tied cases of Milk Bones to his customers at Christmas and every now and then helps others who can't pay their vet bills.

What was his other passion? The Eagles. That was until Friday when he learned the team had signed convicted dog killer Michael Vick.

"This just freaked me out," said Hoffman, 62, who owns an auto parts business and has been a season ticket holder, since - as he put it - "the days at Franklin Field" - at least 40 years he figures. He and his now-grown daughter bonded over football when she was a small child and enjoyed games together for decades. 

"I'm having a real hard time with this" he said. "I think it's a disgrace."

Hoffman heard from the Eagles on Friday in an email to premium ticket holders urging them not to let "this distract from the relationship we have with you" and urging them to join the team in its "support and optimism for Michael."

Hoffman wrote back:

"I'm struggling with the fact that I can not get out of my mind the sounds of helpless animals that screamed for their lives as they were hung, electrocuted with jumper cables, strangled and drowned."

The six season tickets - including two box seats - will be sold or donated to charity he said. The Eagles paraphernalia is going to Goodwill.

Hoffman says he's still steamed at the Eagles for bringing on board a "murderer."

"People can do bad things, but this is worse," he said. "People can defend themselves. Dogs can't."

 From now on, Hoffman said he will root for other Philadelphia teams, especially the boys of summer.

"My daughter and I will have plenty of fun at Phillies games," he said.

Here's the correspondence the Eagles sent to premium ticket holders on Aug. 14 concerning the team's decision to sign Vick:

You are our most valued customers and we understand that this decision may result in some personal soul-searching for you, along with some public debate in the coming days and weeks. We do not want this to distract from the relationship we have with you, and we remain fully committed to putting the highest-quality product on the field and delivering wins to Eagles fans.

We have seen a tremendous outpouring of support from fans, but we also acknowledge there are some people who will struggle with our decision to give Vick a second chance. I am attaching here a statement that Joe Banner, our President, wanted me to share specifically with you. Please connect with us directly with any questions or concerns you may have and we will help however we can.

"We appreciate that this is a complicated and personal issue for many fans and Eagles partners and premium clients. It was complicated for us as well, and we sought the counsel of several quality character individuals when making this decision. Tony Dungy, Roger Goodell and the head of the National Humane Society have invested considerable time with Michael Vick and feel confident that we have made the right decision to give him a second chance.

The ultimate decision upon us was this – if a person made a terrible mistake and then paid their debts to society, was deeply remorseful and turned their life around completely, and not only lives a life of virtue themselves but is investing time to make sure others don't make the same mistakes, would you be willing to help this human being move forward? Would you give them a second chance?

We appreciate the complexity this creates for some partners and premium clients and ask that you join us in our support and optimism for Michael as he commits himself to showing Philadelphia and the country he is a changed human being.

I encourage you to visit PhiladelphiaEagles.com when you have a moment to watch the replay of the press conference which is happening today at 11am. You will see the Michael we have come to know – someone who is remorseful and committed to showing everyone he has learned from his mistakes and that he is a changed person."