MOOSIC -- Police are outside the home of John Tanis. He was taken to jail Tuesday for a bail violation. Now, a code enforcement officer who went into the house has decided it's not safe.
Moosic police have been outside John Tanis' house on Main Street for almost 24 hours since they took Tanis to jail Tuesday for a bail violation.
Moosic borough's code enforcement officer took a look inside John Tanis' house on Main Street and decided that it wasn't safe for neighbors. He ordered that utilities be shut off immediately. Workers from Pennsylvania American Water and UGI Natural Gas were at the home in the morning.
One borough official told Newswatch 16 that the home was filled with trash and had a stench that was potentially dangerous if the utilities were left on without the owner home.
The owner, John Tanis, was taken to jail 24 hours earlier. Tanis is facing animal cruelty charges and a judge says Tanis violated his bail by having more than one dog on his property.
Police have been to the house three times in one week and sat outside it for a full 24 hours after Tanis was sent to jail.
Neighbors on Main Street are used to noise in this part of the borough but they had thought the noise surrounding Tanis' animal abuse case had quieted for now.
Francis Supinski says he doesn't know Tanis but knew parts of his property were in poor condition. He says knowing that the inside of his home may match the outside and that it's potentially dangerous makes him nervous.
"I was a little shocked, like I said. I don't know too much about the fellow but I'm glad it's being done now and be back to normal again, "Supinski said.
John Tanis was taken to the Lackawanna County jail Tuesday after violating his bail.
Tanis is at the center of an animal abuse case that's received a lot of attention. Police have taken 30 dogs out of his home since he was charged with animal cruelty last year.
Later this week, a Lackawanna County judge will decide if Tanis is to stay in jail until his trial set for May.
If he is freed, he has another order, this time from Moosic borough officials, to clean up his property before his utilities can be turned on.