A pair in Lancaster County were charged with animal cruelty after officials found two dogs emaciated and injured in their home, the Pennsylvania SPCA said.
The PSPCA, alongside Lancaster County Detectives and the City of Lancaster Police Department executed arrest warrants for Pablo Duran and Donna Renee Smeltzer on Thursday, Feb. 29.
The pair has been charged with 3 counts of animal cruelty, including felony and misdemeanor level charges in the abuse of two dogs, according to officials.
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The PSPCA said on Monday, Feb. 26, officers responded to the 500 block of Dauphin Street after receiving a complaint regarding the welfare of dogs at a home. Upon arrival, officers found a brown pitbull-type dog belonging to Duran in an emaciated condition.
The dog, identified as Beans had muscle wasting, ribs and hips easily visible and a sunken skull, officials said.
Additionally, through veterinary examination, it was found that Beans was anemic, dehydrated and infested with fleas.
The PSPCA said Duran was charged on the felony level for knowingly or intentionally torturing Beans, causing prolonged pain and suffering through the deprivation of necessary sustenance. He was also charged on the felony level for intentionally failing to provide veterinary care causing serious bodily injury or death.
On the misdemeanor level, Duran was charged with knowingly or recklessly ill-treating Beans, risking serious bodily injury or death.
A second dog in the home, identified as Pompei - a miniature poodle - had belonged to Smeltzer. Officials said Pompei was found to be suffering from a complete displaced fracture to one of her hind legs, a break in the pelvis and a full circumferential ligature mark around her muzzle cutting through the lip.
The PSPCA said she had sclera hemorrhage indicative of strangulation or blunt force trauma, a dirty hair coat and urine staining on her legs.
Smeltzer was charged with felony animal cruelty for intentionally or knowingly failing to provide necessary veterinary care causing serious bodily injury, according to officials.
She was also charged with felony animal torture due to a broken leg and pelvis, as well as ligature marks to the muzzle of Pompei. On the misdemeanor level she is charged with knowingly or recklessly ill-treating an animal causing bodily injury or risking serious bodily injury.
Beans and Pompei were removed from the home and brought to the PSPCA’s Main Line Animal Rescue for immediate and critical veterinary care, officials said.
Pompei will require specialty surgery for her hind leg to be saved and Beans was placed on a refeeding plan and is being monitored closely.
"This case of animal cruelty is particularly disturbing,” CEO of the Pennsylvania SPCA Julie Klim said in a news release. “The physical injuries to these precious dogs are hard to stomach, and knowing that their suffering was prolonged by a lack of food and veterinary care is heart wrenching.”
“It is our hope that while we cannot erase what happened to these dogs, we can work to bring them the justice they deserve,” Director of Animal Law Enforcement and Shelter Services at the Pennsylvania SPCA Nicole Wilson added. “The heinous and seemingly intentional mistreatment of these animals is hard to fathom, and it is our hope that the individuals involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Anyone with information about this case or other cases involving animal cruelty is urged to call the PSPCA's Cruelty Hotline at 866- 601-SPCA. Tips can be left anonymously.
If you would like to help Beans and Pompei during their recovery you can visit pspca.org to make a donation.
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