Phila. woman gets probation, animal ban in cruelty case

A Philadelphia woman is banned for owning animals for two years after pleading guilty in the starving death of one dog and the mistreatment of four other pets.

Caroline Nickel, 32, of the Pennsport section of Philadelphia, was sentenced Friday to two years probation and received two-year ban on animal ownership after pleading guilty to multiple counts of animal cruelty.

Nickel admitted to starving one dog to death and nearly killing another dog who was found badly emaciated stuffed in a closet on top of the dead dog..

On Dec. 21 Philadelphia police attempting to serve a warrant on Nickel on another matter saw multiple animals in distress on Nickell's propery.

The officers contacted the Pennsylvania SPCA and when PSPCA officers responded to the scene they discovered three very underweight cats living in filthy conditions inside the home.

The officers also found 2 dogs locked in a bathroom closet, one of which was deceased. The other dog badly emaciated and barely alive, was lying on top of the deceased dog..

Officers removed the 5 animals and transported them to the PSPCA's Erie Avenue shelter for evaluation.

The animals were surrendered to the PSPCA. The 3 cats were treated by PSPCA veterinarians and subsequently adopted out. PSPCA veterinarians were able to revive the live dog, who was in shock by the time she arrived at the shelter. After treatment in the PSPCA's Shelter Hospital for 4 months, the dog was adopted out to a new home..

"If any more time had passed before these animals were discovered, the surviving dog would have likely died," said Rebecca Glenn-Dinwoodie, director of humane litigation at the PSPCA. "No animal should have to endure such suffering. Both our officers and our shelter veterinarians acted quickly to ensure her survival. We are gratified by the court's sentencing order."