Two charged with death of dog in Belle Vernon
A Belle Vernon man and woman are charged in the death of a dog they allegedly left in a cage outside with little to no food or water for a month.
State police issued arrest warrants Tuesday for Christopher Michael Foreman, 35, and Rachel Marie Gerhold, 36, of Main Street.
A neighbor, Nicole Bonacci, told state police she called local police and animal control “for months” asking someone to check the dog. She again called animal control Monday morning, who told her to call state police.
Troopers responded about 10:45 a.m. Monday and found the dog was dead. Bonacci reported the dog could barely move and then appeared to start seizing, then stopped moving. She reported several other dogs live at the address, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in the case.
State police said the dog was found with no shelter, food or water and reported “obvious signs of starvation and abuse” in court documents.
The dog was scheduled for a necropsy. Foreman and Gerhold are charged with a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals and three misdemeanor counts of neglect of animals.