Attorneys/Judges
| Prosecutor(s): | Abby Silverman |
A dozen cats starving, some resort to cannibalism
Blue Bell, PA (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Jun 2, 2010
County: Montgomery
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Patricia Wiehler
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Saying animal protection officials were "horrified" to find a dozen dead cats that had resorted to cannibalism to try to stay alive in a Whitpain home, authorities have charged the pet owner with animal cruelty for allegedly leaving them behind without food.
"They appeared to have fed on anything in the house that they were able to, including, it appeared from the remains, each other," Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Abby Silverman said on Tuesday, referring to the horrifying June 12 discovery inside a home in the 800 block of Whitpain Hills Drive.
"The SPCA was horrified. They said it was one of the most egregious cases they have seen. Just the desperation and the pain that these animals must have been in, to be forced to feed on each other, was horrendous," Silverman added.
Silverman alleged the cats "starved to the point they would eat anything they could get their paws on."
Patricia Wiehler, 50, formerly of the 800 block of Whitpain Hills Drive, was charged with 13 summary citations for cruelty to animals in connection with the incident. Each charge, which is comparable to a non-traffic citation, can carry a possible 90-day jail sentence and numerous fines.
With the charges, authorities alleged Wiehler had a duty to care for the cats and she violated that duty.
Authorities alleged Wiehler rented the townhome, eventually vacated the townhome to reside with a sick relative in Whitpain and left the cats behind. Wiehler allegedly told police she last fed the cats on May 5, according to court papers.
"It appears that the responsibility to care for them was solely her own and there was no one else who was supposed to be caring for them," Silverman alleged.
Prosecutors said they charged Wiehler because she had other avenues in that she could have taken the cats to the SPCA or could have found alternative homes for them instead of allegedly choosing to leave them behind without food and water.
"If she was unable to care for the cats she certainly could have called the Montgomery County SPCA or any other cat rescue organization and I'm sure none of those rescue organizations would have left the cats unattended. She certainly could have surrendered them to be adopted out," Silverman said.
The decomposing cats were discovered in the townhome about 10:44 a.m. June 12 by a property manager of the Whitpain Hills development who responded to a neighbor's complaints about a "bad odor" coming from the Wiehler residence, according to Whitpain police. The property manager then notified police. The Centre Square Fire Company also responded with special gear, including respirators, so investigators could enter the residence.
Authorities from the Montgomery County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals entered the home and determined that between 10 and 15 decomposing cats were found throughout the residence. Some of the cats appeared to have been dead for a month, according to police. Officials also reported the home was littered with animal feces and fleas and that there was no food or water for the cats.
Case UpdatesA Whitpain woman who admitted to starving to death more than three dozen cats was sentenced to a brief stint in jail as well as community service.
Patricia Wiehler, 50, formerly of the 800 block of Whitpain Hills Drive, was sentenced recently to 48 hours in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility and 150 hours of community service in connection with the starvation deaths of a total of 37 cats inside her former home. District Court Judge John S. Murray III of Blue Bell imposed the punishment after Wiehler pleaded guilty to 14 counts of animal cruelty, all summary offenses, in connection with the June incident.
A summary offense is comparable to a non-traffic citation.
Murray also imposed $1,000 in fines against Wiehler and required her to complete counseling as conditions of the punishment. The punishment replaced the previous four-year probationary sentence Murray imposed against Wiehler in July.
The previous sentence was vacated by county President Judge Richard J. Hodgson, who ordered that Wiehler's case be returned to Murray "for disposition in accordance with Rules of Criminal Procedure." At the time, Hodgson did not elaborate in the court order on his reasons for vacating the original probationary punishment. Assistant District Attorney Abby Silverman previously said animal protection officials were horrified June 12 when they found the dead cats, some of which had resorted to cannibalism to try to stay alive. Silverman previously said animal protection officials described the scene as one of the "most disturbing" cases of animal cruelty they had ever seen. The cats fed on anything they could find, including, it appeared from the remains, each other. Authorities also found a mummified four-week old kitten.
Authorities previously alleged Wiehler rented the townhome, eventually vacated the townhome to reside with and care for a sick relative in Whitpain and left the cats behind without food. Wiehler allegedly told police she last fed the cats on May 5, according to court papers.
When she initially was charged by authorities, Wiehler received 13 summary citations for cruelty to animals in connection with the incident. However, when cleanup crews went to the home they found the remains of an additional 24 cats and so Wiehler received additional citations.
With the charges, authorities alleged Wiehler had a duty to care for the cats and she violated that duty. Prosecutors said they charged Wiehler because she had other avenues in that she could have taken the cats to the Montgomery County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or could have found alternative homes for them instead of choosing to leave them behind without food and water.
The decomposing cats were discovered in the townhome about 10:44 a.m. June 12 by a property manager of the Whitpain Hills development who responded to a neighbor's complaints about a "bad odor" coming from the Wiehler residence, according to Whitpain police. The property manager then notified police. The Centre Square Fire Company also responded with special gear, including respirators, so that investigators could enter the residence.
Authorities from the SPCA entered the home and determined that numerous decomposing cats were found throughout the residence. Some of the cats appeared to have been dead for a month, according to police. Officials also reported the home was littered with animal feces and fleas and that there was no food or water for the cats. | Source: The Reporter - Oct 18, 2010
Update posted on Oct 20, 2010 - 1:45AM |
A Whitpain woman has taken responsibility for the starvation deaths of more than three dozen cats in connection with an animal cruelty incident that animal protection officials called one of "the most disturbing that they had seen."
Patricia Wiehler, 50, formerly of the 800 block of Whitpain Hills Drive, pleaded guilty Wednesday to 14 counts of animal cruelty, all summary offenses, before District Court Judge John S. Murray III in connection with the starvation deaths of a total of 37 cats inside her former home.
Under a plea agreement, Murray sentenced Wiehler to four years' probation and ordered her to perform 400 hours of community service. Murray also ordered Wiehler to undergo a psychological evaluation and to comply with all treatment recommendations.
Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Abby Silverman said animal protection officials were horrified June 12 when they found the dead cats, some of which had resorted to cannibalism to try to stay alive.
"They said that the images of the bones that had been picked clean were some of the most disturbing that they had seen," said Silverman, who added it appeared some of the cats fed on anything they could get their paws on, including, it appeared from the remains, each other. "There was a mummified 4-week-old kitten."
Wiehler, who was represented by defense lawyer Ed Fabick, is also prohibited from owning any pets during her court supervision.
"I think she can take that 400 hours (of community service) and reflect on the decisions that she made and maybe think about the incredible agony those animals had to have been in because of her poor choices," Silverman said.
Wiehler did not say anything during the brief hearing and did not offer an excuse for her conduct.
"I don't really think there can be any logical explanation for having starved 37 cats to death over a six-month period," Silverman said.
Authorities previously alleged Wiehler rented the townhome, eventually vacated the townhome to reside with and care for a sick relative in Whitpain and left the cats behind without food. Wiehler allegedly told police she last fed the cats on May 5, according to court papers.
"My understanding is that she did move to take care of her mother. But that was 25 minutes away in Montgomery County. That may be an explanation, but it's certainly not an excuse," said Silverman, referring to Wiehler's alleged claims.
"She woke up every day during those couple of months and had a choice whether to call the SPCA, whether to go back to the house and feed the cats or take them somewhere, and each day she made the decision not to do that," Silverman added. "She could have gone back to that house and could have changed that situation and did not."
When she was initially charged by authorities last month, Wiehler received 13 summary citations for cruelty to animals in connection with the incident. A summary offense is comparable to a non-traffic citation.
"Then, when the environmental services, or whoever was doing the waste disposal, went back into the home they found the remains of an additional 24 cats," Silverman alleged, adding Wiehler then received additional citations.
With the plea to 14 counts of animal cruelty, Wiehler took responsibility for the deaths of all the cats, Silverman explained.
With the charges, authorities alleged Wiehler had a duty to care for the cats and she violated that duty.
Prosecutors said they charged Wiehler because she had other avenues in that she could have taken the cats to the Montgomery County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or could have found alternative homes for them instead of choosing to leave them behind without food and water.
The decomposing cats were discovered in the townhome about 10:44 a.m. June 12 by a property manager of the Whitpain Hills development who responded to a neighbor's complaints about a "bad odor" coming from the Wiehler residence, according to Whitpain police. The property manager then notified police. The Centre Square Fire Company also responded with special gear, including respirators, so that investigators could enter the residence.
Authorities from the Montgomery County SPCA entered the home and determined that numerous decomposing cats were found throughout the residence. Some of the cats appeared to have been dead for a month, according to police. Officials also reported the home was littered with animal feces and fleas and that there was no food or water for the cats. | Source: Times-Herald - July 15, 2010
Update posted on Oct 20, 2010 - 1:45AM |
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