Man convicted of letting emaciated dogs freeze to death
A West Philadelphia man has been found guilty of animal cruelty after two emaciated dogs froze to death in his yard, officials say.
A West Philadelphia man has been found guilty of animal cruelty after two emaciated dogs froze to death in his yard, officials say.
Terrell Thompson, 31, of the 100 block of North 54th Street, had been charged with two counts of failure to provide sufficient shelter, a summary offense, for his two pitbull-type dogs.
Pennsylvania SPCA officers were called to Thompson's property on Jan. 20 and found the dead dogs, which they took back to their headquarters for necropsies. The PSPCA's forensic veterinary team determined they died from hypothermia.
Thompson, who skipped his court hearing, was convicted Wednesday and sentenced to pay a $300 fine and forbidden from owning any animals for 180 days, according to the PSPCA and court records.
"The Pennsylvania SPCA will not tolerate such acts of neglect and outright cruelty," CEO Jerry Buckley said. "While we always feel satisfaction when a case of animal cruelty reaches a guilty verdict, when an animal suffers, and ultimately dies, the responsible parties need to be held accountable for their actions."
To report animal abuse, call the Pennsylvania SPCA’s cruelty hotline at (866) 601-7722.