Mar 26, 2018 2 min read

The first person in Washington County to have been charged under Pennsylvania’s new aggravated animal cruelty law entered guilty pleas to lesser charges Monday.

Tammy Barnhart, 45, of 160 E. Finley Drive, West Finley Township, appeared before Judge Valarie Costanzo, who accepted the plea agreement to two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and placed Barnhart on probation for a total of four years, during which she must not possess any animal.

Sentencing guidelines call for a maximum of probation on the charges for which Costanzo imposed penalties.

The judge also ordered Barnhart to perform 100 hours of community service and pay court costs and fees. According to a judiciary online docket, these total more than $3,000.

A third-degree felony, aggravated cruelty to animals causing serious bodily injury or death, known as “Libre’s Law,” was changed at the magisterial level at the request of the district attorney’s office in November to the two misdemeanors.

The canines came to the attention of authorities late last summer when a door-to-door solicitor called Washington Area Humane Society. He had come across the dogs at what appeared to be an abandoned house.

Humane Society Officer Glen Thomson left a notice at the house, but when there was no response, a search and seizure warrant was served Sept. 15.

Four dogs found to be living in deplorable conditions were removed. One chained dog had no food or water, and two dogs living in a basement in an area covered with feces, urine and garbage were severely underweight.

Found in a room covered in garbage was a fourth dog that had a large gash on its chest. Suffering a seizure, it was rushed to Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center. The dog was euthanized because its seizures could not be stopped.

Authorities said all four dogs were dehydrated and infested with fleas.

Libre’s Law was named after a puppy found near death in 2016 in Lancaster County.