PENNSYLVANIA -- The abandonment of a mastiff dog, found decomposing with “hundreds of maggots” all over his body in a Bridgeport house, has ended with a former borough man’s conviction of animal cruelty.
Joseph A. Paul, 42, formerly of the 600 block of Bush Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court on Monday to 15 days already served to 30 days in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to a summary charge of cruelty to animals in connection with the June 2013 incident at the Bush Street residence. Judge Cheryl Austin, who accepted a plea agreement in the matter, also ordered Paul, who most recently listed an address in Hershey, to pay a $100 fine.
“The scene that Bridgeport police came upon…was absolutely atrocious and horrifying,” said Assistant District Attorney Kathleen Colgan. “Police officers stated that they could smell the decomposition approximately 20 feet before the main door.”
An investigation began on June 16, when Bridgeport police responded to a complaint of a dead dog discovered inside an abandoned house in the 600 block of Bush Street. The investigation determined the residence had last been inhabited by Paul, who had lived in a detached structure to the rear of the main residence before moving to a Stewart Street address in the Swedesburg section of Upper Merion, according to court papers.
Paul, the investigation revealed, left behind his black mastiff named Guinness when he moved from the Bridgeport residence to Upper Merion, according to the criminal complaint.
“The dog was not left in the care of anyone,” Bridgeport Police Officer Paul McLaughlin wrote in the arrest affidavit.
When police approached the rear apartment structure of the Bush Street residence they detected the odor of decomposition, court papers indicate. When police opened the door of the property they discovered the decomposing, large, black dog on the kitchen floor. Authorities said Guinness once weighed about 180 pounds.
“The decomposing dog had hundreds of maggots and maggot larvae all over its body and it was apparent that the animal was abandoned and neglected for long, but unknown length of time, and likely died of starvation,” McLaughlin alleged.
Defense lawyer Edward Rideout maintained Paul was saddened by the events.
“I think he was very sad. It was his dog of 12 years and it was old and sick. He cared for the dog,” Rideout said.
By pleading guilty to the charge, Paul admitted that he abandoned Guinness during his move to another residence. But Rideout also implied Paul was locked out of the house.
“He was locked out of his house in some sort of foreclosure process, that when he returned to the house to get his dog out, it was padlocked and he could not gain entry into the house,” Rideout said.
But even if Paul found the home padlocked, prosecutors maintained he had other options to get help for the dog or alert others that the dog was inside, including calling 911.
“His actions were wanton and neglectful by not taking further action to insure the safety and well-being of an animal in his care. There are a number of other options that the defendant could have taken if that were the case,” Colgan argued, also pointing out that police indicated in court papers that they easily gained access to the home when they arrived at the scene.
Colgan said the case serves as a warning to all pet owners.
“To any individuals who have pets, you need to ensure that you keep them safe because as evidenced by this case, jail time is possible for the mistreatment of animals in Montgomery County,” Colgan said.
(Mainline Media News - January 06, 2014)
