Altoona woman arrested on animal cruelty charges
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An Altoona woman was arrested Sunday after two malnourished dogs were found abandoned in a West Middletown home where she had been staying.
State police charged Kimbre Leigh Hatcher, 37, last week with felonies of aggravated cruelty to animals.
According to the criminal complaint, on Feb. 18 a neighbor reported that Hatcher had been “squatting” at 81 Front St. with the dogs. The home apparently had no electricity or running water.
Police arrested Hatcher the following day after determining there was an active warrant for her arrest in Centre County on theft charges.
Hatcher told police she was not willing to surrender the dogs, and would remove them from the home following her arraignment in Centre County on Feb. 20. According to the complaint, however, the dogs were still there the next day.
Police described the dogs as pitbull-like mixed breeds, and found them to be malnourished and dehydrated.
According to the complaint, it appeared that one of the dogs had been attempting to eat plastic bottles. Police wrote in court records that the home was in “disarray with trash and there were piles of feces and urine” throughout.
Hatcher also faces several misdemeanors for cruelty and neglect of animals.
She was arraigned Sunday morning before District Judge Eric Porter, who sent her to the Washington County jail on $50,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. March 12.