SCRANTON, Pa. — Lackawanna County Humane Officer Marci Zeiler says she got a call from an animal control officer in Scranton on Tuesday asking for help to get two dogs in very poor condition out of a home in the city's west side.
"Scranton Animal Control got a call from the landlord, I guess, of that property. So, he had mentioned that nobody had been there to take care of the dogs in three weeks," Ofc. Zeiler said.
The dogs were removed from the home and taken to Griffin Pond Animal Shelter near Clarks Summit. Ofc. Zeiler says the male and female pit bull mixes are both severely emaciated and were living in their own waste. It wasn't until they got the dogs back to the animal shelter that they realized the female dog had a far worse condition to manage.
"She wound up having deceased puppies inside of her. She had one stuck. She was in really poor condition. She's still not out of the woods."
We're barely a month into the new year, and shelter officials say they've taken in 245 animals. Zeiler says it's both a struggle emotionally and financially.
"The condition of these dogs has been something that we're becoming numb to here because this is just every other dog that comes in is emaciated, or you know, has whatever issue, and we're sick of it."
The dogs will remain in the care of the shelter while this case of animal cruelty is investigated. Zeiler stresses these animals can't help themselves and no animal deserves this neglect.
"This is never OK. This is never an option. You've got to reach out for help. When you take a pet on, that is your responsibility, and you need to do right by that animal. This can't keep happening. This is it's just too much at this point."
Zeiler says she is working with Scranton Animal Control officers on this case, and once they complete their investigation, they will be pressing charges.
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