West Deer Township Man Facing Nearly 300 Charges Related To Animal Cruelty And Neglect

WEST DEER TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - A West Deer Township man is facing hundreds of charges related to animal neglect and cruelty. The Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh is investigating and said horses are the victims of the alleged suspect's actions.

According to the criminal docket against 64-year-old Donald Podczerwinski, he has 298 charges against him. Investigators would not confirm any specific details. The docket said the alleged crimes were on March 26.

Podczerwinski faces 30 counts of felony animal cruelty, more than 60 counts of neglect of animals for protection or shelter and about 80 counts of neglecting animals for vet care.

On Friday, KDKA crews went by Podczerwinski's house to get his side of the story. While he didn't have much to say, he did say there's more than what the charges allege.

After opening the door and identifying ourselves as KDKA and asking about the charges, he said, "no comment." KDKA said, "that's a lot of charges sir," and he replied by saying, "there's a lot of bogus to it." When asked why, he said, "you'll find out later."

According to the Humane Rescue League, all animal owners are responsible for getting them regular veterinary care and giving them access to clean water and food. For animals that are kept outside, they need to have a clean area for protection against bad weather.

The investigation is ongoing. More details are expected Monday when the court paperwork is finalized. Podczerwinski has a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 18.