Get Marty: Dogs Left Out In Cold Cause Concern In Fayette County
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A new law went into effect this winter in Pennsylvania to better protect pets from harsh conditions.
Under Libre's Law, pets cannot be left outside alone for longer than 3 minutes when temperatures are below 32 degrees, and violators could face fines or even jail time.
Concerned neighbors in Fayette County who saw dogs left outside in the frigid cold snap a week ago knew they had to take action, so they decided to "Get Marty."
The images are harsh -- dogs left alone, outside. When the pictures were taken, it was 8 degrees. With the wind chill, it was -16 degrees.
The dogs in the pictures posted on Facebook belong to Andy Revaks. Social media has criminalized him.
"They've got pictures of my dogs and stuff," he said. "They're saying how I'm abusing my dogs."
Revaks has five dogs. They all stay outside. He says they always have.
"I've never had a dog die in 55 years," he said. "What can I tell you? Experience, you know, 55 years."
Missy King sent the photos to KDKA's Marty Griffin, asking, "Can I get some help for all these dogs in our area? Can you please start asking some questions as to why the law is not being enforced?"
For now, she wants this dog owner to bring his pets inside.
"How would you like to be out here?" she said to Revaks. "It's colder outside now than it is in your deep freezer in your house. Just take your dogs in the house and put them in the deep freezer if that's how you feel."
When KDKA left Revaks' house, his dog cages outside were empty, and his dogs were inside and there to stay, he says, for now.
"I want clarity, is all I want," he said.
At a home a few miles down the road, four dogs were chained outside in 8 degree weather and no one answered the door.
"This is pitiful ... It's sad. It's sad. It breaks my heart," dog advocate Andrea Spiker said.
A bowl of food was covered with snow and seemed to be frozen solid.
One dog appeared to be shaking from the cold, and you could see another dog's ribs.
A woman, who KDKA was told is the mother of the dog owner, told Marty to leave.
When asked about the well-being of the dogs, she said, "You're making assumptions."
Marty asked for the dog's owner, and the woman told him to leave a phone number. Marty never received a call.
KDKA crews waited a block away for another hour. They did take one dog away, but left the others behind.
If you'd like Marty to help you solve your problem, email him at GetMarty@kdka.com.
