Duquesne Couple Accused Of Beating Dog So Badly It Had To Be Euthanized
DUQUESNE, Pa. (KDKA) - A local couple is accused of beating and abusing a dog so badly it had to be euthanized.
According to a criminal complaint, Paul Finerty allegedly threw a dog named Rusty against the wall of his Duquesne home, hit it in the head and shot it with a dart gun.
Police accuse Finerty's live-in girlfriend, Sarah Westfall, of not seeking any medical attention for Rusty.
When police took the dog to the vet, they say its injuries were so extensive and severe it had to be euthanized. The criminal complaint alleges Rusty had several injuries that would have caused "severe and prolonged pain."
A veterinary forensic expert determined Rusty had been hit in the head several times, causing him to lose sight in his right eye and lose a tooth. The head trauma, along with spinal trauma, made Rusty unable to walk, police say.
When detectives went to the suspects' home on Wool Street, they say it was in "deplorable" condition, the floor covered in feces and urine. There were also numerous holes in the upstairs bedroom that police believe could have been caused by darts.
According to the criminal complaint, both a witness and Westfall allegedly told police they believed Finerty shot Rusty with darts.
Police talked to Finerty and say he called Rusty annoying and told police the dog fell down the steps. According to the criminal complaint, he remembered one time where he "disciplined" Rusty. He also allegedly told police he had a dart gun but had destroyed it and never shot Rusty.
The couples are facing multiple counts of neglect of animals, aggravated cruelty to animals and cruelty to animals.
