Chartiers Township man charged in animal cruelty case

A Chartiers Township man, who has had animals removed from his home three times in the last 18 months, is facing a felony and 18 misdemeanor charges for cruelty and neglect to animals, following an incident last month.
William E. Moore, 68, of 8 Crossroads Road, was charged by Washington Area Humane Society Police Officer Glen Thomas with aggravated cruelty to an animal and 18 counts of neglect of animals for failing to provide food, water and veterinary care for nine animals.
On May 24, police were at the home Moore shares with Marci Jo Klinzing, 49, to condemn the house, but they heard animals inside. After obtaining a search warrant, police removed 10 animals from the house, which was “littered with garbage and scrap.” Moore and Klinzing were prohibited from owning animals for two years after a 2016 incident. Klinzing has not been charged.
“There were several cats running in and out of the house through holes in the roof and walls,” Thomas said in the criminal complaint.
Several kittens, an adult male cat and a terrier-type dog were removed from the home. One of the kittens removed that day did not survive more than a day after arriving at the shelter, according to the complaint. A veterinarian assessed the animals and determined they were in “poor condition,” the complaint said.
The animals were taken to the humane society, where the kittens were put on liquids for dehydration, according to Executive Director Kelly Proudfit. She said the kittens removed from the house had ear mites, upper respiratory infections and eye infections.
The house was allegedly covered in garbage with a “small path” to walk from room to room, the complaint said.
“There were several piles of feces throughout the house,” the complaint said. “There was also a very strong odor of urine in the air. There was no food or water found in the house for the animals to eat or drink.”
In December, Judge Michael Lucas ordered the couple not to have any animals for two years, following a December 2016 incident at the house owned by Moore. Last June, dogs, cats, rabbits, ducks, chickens, guineas and a cockatiel-type bird were removed from the property, for which Moore and Klinzing were each charged with 48 counts of animal cruelty.
Senior Judge William Nalitz then ordered Moore to raze the building and clean up the property. Moore appealed that decision, but his appeal was dismissed.