Two Timblin Residents Charged with Felony Animal Cruelty Charges After Dog Found Dead

TIMBLIN, Pa. (EYT) – Two individuals are facing animal cruelty charges after the Jefferson County Humane Officer found one dog severely neglected and another one dead at a residence on Church Street, in the Borough of Timblin.

According to court documents, criminal charges were filed against 39-year-old David E. Williams and 34-year-old Gia Marie Weyandt, both of Timblin.

According to a criminal complaint, the Jefferson County Humane Society Officer received a call from Punxsutawney-based State Police around 3:30 p.m. on December 22, 2017, regarding a complaint about an abandoned dog.

On the following day, around noon, a representative from Willow Run Sanctuary went to a Church Street property in Timblin and posted the property. A medium-sized brown dog, possibly a Rottweiler mix, was observed barking at the front window of the residence. The caretaker of the dog was asked to call the Humane Officer’s phone, but the Humane Officer never received a call regarding the dog.

On December 24, around 1:00 p.m., the representative of Willow Run posted the property again. The same dog was observed, but it was behaving in a lethargic manner and not barking as much.

On the following day, December 25, around 1:00 p.m., the representative of Willow Run visited the property for a third time. There were no sign in the snow of anyone else visiting the property. At this time, the Human Officer proceeded with securing a search warrant.

On December 26, around 9:30 a.m., the Humane Officer entered the Church Street residence after posting the signed search warrant on the door. No one was in the residence at the time. A black male dog was immediately removed from the residence and placed in a warm vehicle.

The Humane Officer, along with the representative of Willow Run, proceeded to search the property.

They found the floors of every room on the ground floor of the residence were covered with debris. There were multiple animal dishes around the ground floor of the residence, but they were all dry. There were also multiple dog food bags found, but they were all empty.

The Humane Officer proceeded to the second floor, and entered an upstairs room, located on the back side of the residence. There the officer found a medium-sized female black dog with a purple harness laying on the floor. This dog was deceased.

There were large amounts of animal feces located in three of the upstairs rooms. No animal dishes were observed.

No other animals were found in this residence.

The Humane Officer removed the body of the deceased dog, and took the other dog immediately to Dr. Rapp, DVM, for care.

The deceased dog had a 2017 Jefferson County dog license attached to its harness. This license listed Gia Marie Weyandt and David E. Williams, at the Church Street address, as co-owners of this dog known as Chica.

The living dog matched the description of a dog named Bruiser, with Gia Marie Weyandt and David E. Williams listed as co-owners.

The Humane Officer consulted with Warden Carlson of Pennsylvania Dog Law for Jefferson County and was told that on December 11, 2017, this dog named Bruiser was found loose in Timblin. Further investigation also revealed that a trooper with the Punxsutawney PSP had a conversation with Williams at the Church Street residence in October of 2017, concerning both of his dogs being tied outside, according to the complaint.

The Humane Officer repeatedly attempted to contact both Weyandt and Williams, but has not received any reply at this time.

Court documents indicate that a preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on March 1, 2018, at Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office on the following charges:

– Aggravated Cruelty to Animals – Causing Serious Bodily Injury or Death, Felony 3
– Neglect of Animals – Tethering, Misdemeanor 3
– Cruelty to Animals, Misdemeanor 2

Certified summons were issued on January 15.


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