The following are some of the recent cases investigated by the Pennsylvania SPCA. Headquartered at 350 E. Erie Avenue in Philadelphia, the PSPCA operates five branches throughout the state. For more information, call 215-426-6300 or visit www.pspca.org. To report animal cruelty call 1-866-601-SPCA.

Horses, dogs seized in western PA raid

Aliquippa Township, Beaver County. Oct 12. PSPCA humane officers executed a search warrant and rescued three adult horses, one foal and seven dogs from a property. Three deceased cats were also found in the house on the property. Officers were alerted to the case of alleged animal cruelty and neglect by a complainant who contacted the PSPCA’s cruelty hotline. In addition to the horses, foal and dogs, humane agents found the remains of a dead foal on the property, as well as three deceased cats in various stages of decomposition inside the house. It could not be determined how the animals died at the time of their discovery. The investigation is ongoing and no citations or charges have been filed at this time.

Philadelphia

Facing eviction, owner surrenders underweight animals

Robinson St., 2300 block. Sept. 25.  A PSPCA humane officer responded to a call from the Animal Care and Control Team (ACCT) that three dogs and three kittens at a property were in poor physical condition. The owner of the home was in the process of being evicted when the humane officer responded to the call and confirmed that all six animals were underweight and flea-infested. The owner surrendered all the animals over to the PSPCA.

Owner cited for keeping dogs kept in filthy yard with no shelter, food

Lehigh St., 100 Block. Sept. 18. A PSPCA humane officer responded to a complaint about dogs being leftout in the rear yard of the property without food and water. Upon arrival, the officer observed that the dogs - three female poodle/shih-tzu mixes between five and ten years old - appeared to be in poor physical condition. One dog had matted fur and another was missing fur on its hind end. The yard was covered with trash and debris and there was no access to food or shelter. The dogs did not have city license or rabies tags. When the officer returned to the property with a search warrant, the dogs were still in the yard with no access to food, water and shelter. The owner was cited for failure to provide food, water and shelter to the animals as well as failure to provide veterinary care and surrender the dogs to the PSPCA.

Hungry dogs left  behind when owner moves

N. Wanamaker St., 100 block. Sept. 18. A humane officer responded to a complaint about two mastiff /pit bull mixes that had been left behind at a property after the owners moved out. The officer found two dogs at the rear of the property. Both were so emaciated that their hips, ribs and spine structures could be seen. There was no food, water or shelter available for the dogs and there were unsanitary conditions in the yard. The officer then returned to the property with a warrant. The owner was present at that time and was cited for animal cruelty. The owner also surrendered the animals to the PSPCA.

Three emaciated dogs seized, owner charged

Willard St., 700 block. Sept. 11. A humane officer responded to a complaint received on the 24-hour cruelty hotline about an emaciated pit bull being kept in a yard. When the officer arrived, she found a starving, flea-infested pit bull mix in the rear yard of the property. A deceased dog was also found in a crate on the property. The crate was dirty with feces and flies were visible. The owner of the property also showed the officer the two pit bull mixes that were being kept in the basement. She claimed that the dogs did not belong to her and that someone else came in to take care of them. Both dogs were thin and secured to the basement’s concrete floor with heavy chains and collars. There was no food or water available for the dogs and there were unsanitary conditions observed. The three pit bull mixes were removed from the property and are being held in protective custody by the PSPCA, pending owner surrender. The humane officer issued three citations for animal cruelty to the owner of the property. A misdemeanor charge may also be issued, pending the results of the necropsy on the deceased dog.

Owner cited while surrending dogs

Camac St., 6000 block. Sept. 8. The owner of the two female shih-tzu mixes arrived at the PSPCA to surrender the dogs. Humane officers were called in to investigate when medical staff evaluated the dogs and found they were flea infested, dehydrated and emaciated and had possibly been exposed to a toxin. The owner stated that he had left his dogs inside his house while he bombed it for fleas. A citation was issued for animal cruelty and the dogs are currently being held in protective custody by the PSPCA. A court date is pending.