Coal Center man pleads guilty to animal cruelty charge
A Coal Center man pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge of animal cruelty filed last month by the humane police officer for Washington Area Humane Society after the officer found an emaciated dog abandoned in a trailer.
Justin Hixon entered the plea at the office of District Judge Joshua Kanalis. Online court records indicate he was ordered to pay $1,042 in restitution and court costs.
The dog, a lab/terrier mix, was found March 28 in a crate coated with feces, according to Kelly Proudfit, humane society executive director. The dog weighed 20 pounds and was a 1.5 out of nine on the body-mass scale.
“She clearly has been starved,” Proudfit said. “She also was completely dehydrated.”
The kennel and veterinary staff at the humane society immediately bathed the dog and named her Faith. It was determined that she needed to be given fluids and a feeding tube. Faith was taken to University Veterinary Specialists in Peters Township to make sure she got the fluids and care she needed to get through the night.
Humane society workers picked up Faith the following day and continued to care for her. Faith went Friday to a foster home, where she will spend the next two months to get her weight and health back, Proudfit said. The caregiver will bring Faith back weekly so her weight can be checked.
Proudfit thanked everyone who donated for her care, adding that when Faith is healthy and stable she will be available for adoption.