Pennsylvania: Westmoreland County Couple Terry Bernard Miller, 61, and Jacqueline Miller, 55, Charged With Animal Cruelty

PENNSYLVANIA -- A home foreclosure in May led to animal cruelty charges against a Lower Burrell couple.

Terry Bernard Miller, 61, and Jacqueline Miller, 55, formerly of 575 Edgeview St., are accused of keeping six poodles inside crates in the house and not allowing them outside. The dogs were discovered when the couple vacated the home upon losing it in a foreclosure.

The dogs allegedly were held two per crate, and each dog was covered in feces and urine, according to court papers.

The dogs were removed from the home and taken to Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley in New Kensington.

According to prosecutors and Animal Protectors, the dogs were treated for hook, whip, round and tape worms, ear infections and physical injuries.

In court papers, Westmoreland County Deputy Sheriff Eric Sinclair, who was at the house serving the foreclosure order, said the animals were “so heavily matted that it was hard to identify them as dogs.”
Animal Protectors at first thought two of the smaller dogs were puppies instead of adult miniature poodles.

  

“Deplorable conditions,” says Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley’s Jody Berisko. “You could smell it as soon as you hit the backyard. They were horrible, they were completely matted in feces, urine. Some of them could barely even walk.”

The dogs were removed from the home and taken to the Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley in New Kensington.

Berisko just hopes the couple will have to pay for causing so much suffering.

“They day that hopefully we go to court and hopefully at least something because this should not be put onto the back burner this needs to be addressed somehow,” Berisko said.

The dogs have been given $10,000 worth of medical treatment and surgeries. It’s been a community effort with donations helping to fund the effort.

“It’s so great to tell them that they have become normal dogs from such a bad start they’ve become very loving dogs,” Carol Swartzlander said.

  

The dogs have had $10,000 worth of medical treatment & surgeries

Two of the poodles are in foster care and one of them gave birth to two more puppies three days after the dogs were seized. The goal is to find all eight dogs a loving home.

The animals can’t officially be adopted until the court case is wrapped up. Animal Protectors say there’s been a great interest in adopting the dogs.

At this point they say there are still taking applications.

Meanwhile, the Millers have a preliminary hearing on Aug. 4.

(CBS Local - July 3, 2015)