More animals removed from home of Chartiers pair already facing cruelty charges
A Chartiers Township pair, already facing trial on animal cruelty charges after dozens of animals and fowl reportedly were found in deplorable conditions last June, are in further trouble after authorities said more animals were found at their home Thursday.
Marci Jo Klinzing, 49, and William E. Moore, 69, both of 8 Crossroads Road, also are allegedly in violation of a court order imposed as part of a plea agreement in a third animal cruelty case brought when eight dogs were removed from their home in December 2016.
Glen Thomson, humane police officer for the Washington Area Humane Society, entered the home about 4 p.m. after serving a search warrant obtained late Thursday afternoon from District Judge Robert Redlinger at the property. He said there were 15 to 20 cats and kittens inside the house. He said there was at least one dog that he could hear, but was not immediately able to find. The dog is in a room that has a hole in the wall, giving the animal access to a tarp-covered roof. Some of the felines appeared to have eye infections or skin conditions.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Kittens were pulled from a home Thursday at Henderson Avenue and Crossroads Road in Chartiers Township by Washington Area Humane Society police officer Glen Thomson and Washington Area Humane Society kennel manager Mandy Coombs.
Thomson believes someone was living in the house. A television was reportedly on inside the house. He said occasionally he saw the pair’s vehicle when driving past the property while on other calls.
“But you can’t get to the sink,” he added.
The township code enforcement officer went Thursday morning to post a notice to vacate the property when he reportedly heard dogs barking inside the house, said township manager Jodi Noble.
“The township intends to demolish the property in accordance with a court order,” Noble said.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Signs were posted in multiple locations on the property where animals were seized deeming the house unsafe.
Last summer, Senior Judge William Nalitz ordered Moore to raze the building and clean up the property, declaring the site a nuisance. He issued the order after a hearing was requested by the township following an inspection by the code enforcement officer. Moore appealed the decision, but the appeal was dismissed earlier this year.
“The township now wishes to effectuate the order by razing the building and cleaning the property,” Noble said. “We will be getting proposals for both the building and cleaning the property.”
Noble said a lien would be placed on the property in order to allow the township to recoup the cost of clean up.
Thomson was then notified. He went to the house and could also hear the dogs barking inside, said Kelly Proudfit, executive director for the humane society.
Last June, dogs, cats, rabbits, ducks, chickens, guineas and a cockatiel-type bird were removed from the property, which is owned by Moore. The couple were charged with 48 counts of animal cruelty and are scheduled for a pretrial conference in the case next month. They pleaded guilty to one count of animal cruelty late last year before Judge Michael Lucas stemming from the December 2016 incident and were ordered not to have any animals.
Proudfit said the humane society still has the 48 animals seized from the home last June. Those animals are in foster care at various locations.
This is the fifth time in a dozen years that authorities have removed animals from that property.