Cat and dog neglected
Guilford Township, PA (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Feb 3, 2012
County: Franklin

Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Sarah Edwards

A Guilford Township woman was found guilty Friday of animal cruelty for neglecting to care for a cat and dog seized from her home in February.

Sarah Edwards, 31, was ordered to forfeit the animals and pay $1,615.50 in restitution to Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, according to the shelter's Humane Police Officer, Floyd "Buck" Hessler. Edwards was also sentenced to pay court costs and $250 in fines.

Magisterial District Judge Kelly Rock sentenced Edwards after finding her guilty of five summary counts of animal cruelty during a summary trial at her office, according to online court records.

Edwards is also prohibited from owning animals for 15 months. Hessler said she has gotten another cat and dog since he seized the first set of animals. Rock ordered her to immediately remove the new pets from her home, and Hessler intends to ensure that she complies.

The five citations had alleged that Edwards forced a dog named "Mercedes" to live in unsanitary conditions and failed to provide adequate food and water. She had also been accused of failing to provide a cat named "Christmas" with necessary food and veterinary care.

Edwards has 30 days to appeal the judge's decision, so the seized dog and cat will not be available for adoption for at least another month. In addition, they will have to pass an evaluation before they are deemed fit for new homes.

They have been at the shelter since Feb. 3, when an anonymous tip led Hessler to Edwards' home on Fox Meadow Drive.

He had been to the residence twice before to investigate animal cruelty allegations, and had warned Edwards both times to take better care of her animals.

"I gave her opportunities to make the proper corrections," Hessler said Friday. "I advised her what to do, and she still failed to follow my instructions." During the trial, Hessler showed the judge photos he had taken of the animals and the living conditions he found in February. He said both animals were visibly malnourished, and the dog was found in an outside enclosure that was "loaded" with feces.

He said there was no food in the cat's dish in the house or in the dog's pen. The cat had access to drinking water, but the dog was provided only with a five gallon bucket that contained a stagnant liquid that "was black like motor oil."

Upon their initial evaluation by a veterinarian, the cat and dog were both given "body scores" of 3 on a scale of 1 to 10. The cat suffers from an allergy condition that was causing it to have severe skin problems, so the veterinarian prescribed a special diet and antibiotics.

Edwards and her sister testified Friday that the dog had been routinely kept in the house, where it was provided with food and water. Hessler said Edwards told the judge that she had taken her pets to a veterinarian about a year ago, but did not return for a follow-up visit or provide special care for the cat.

"It's a case of carelessness on the owner's part," Hessler said. "If they cared about their animals, they would change the water on a daily basis, or even every other day, and clean out the kennel so the dog doesn't have to lay in its own feces."

Hessler said that since they have been at the shelter, the cat and dog have gained weight and have reached acceptable body scores. The cat remains on a special diet and has grown back most of its hair.

References

• « PA State Animal Cruelty Map
  « More cases in Franklin County, PA

  Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.
  
  For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.