Dogs Found Without Food, Out In Cold At Penn Hills Home
PENN HILLS (KDKA) – The owner of seven dogs is facing charges after some of the animals were found in the backyard in the extreme cold, without food or water.
Authorities say they rescued seven Pit Bulls from the home on Faybern Drive. Five of the dogs were left outside.
"Lucky someone called," said humane officer Rob Fredley. "Three more days of this and the temperature could have overtaken the animals easily. We did see some of the ribs showing in some of the dogs."
Animal Friends was notified about the animals' living conditions and got a search warrant.
"Some of their food bowls were empty, some were solid, as if the person may have fed them several days ago and the food just froze, so the dogs couldn't eat it," said Fredley.
"They had metal chains hanging from their collars, so you can imagine how that would feel in subzero temperatures, having metal so close to your skin like that," said veterinary technician Melissa Troughtzmantz.
Each dog will undergo a medical evaluation. They'll receive vaccinations and heartworm tests. Despite their ordeal, the animals were surprisingly friendly.
According to Animal Friends, the owner -- whose name hasn't been released -- has a previous record for animal cruelty and will face charges. Those could be more serious pending the outcome of the investigation.
It's highly unlikely the dogs will go back to where they were found.
If all goes well, they'll eventually be adopted.
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