2 Emaciated Dogs Seized From Vandergrift Abandoned Home
VANDERGRIFT (KDKA) -- Two emaciated dogs seized from a vacant home in Westmoreland County are now being cared for by a local rescue.
Tiny Dogs Rescue in Vandergrift is caring for the neglected pit bulls terrier mixes found on Emerson Street. One was running loose and the other was in an abandoned home.
The dogs were emaciated, covered in fleas, suffering from ear infections and scared.
According to the owner of Tiny Cause Rescue, the female brown dog, a 3-year-old named Sadie, is believed to have jumped from a window to escape the home on the 500 block of Emerson Street in Vandergrift.
Neighbor Lindsey D'Ascenzo told KDKA over text message she was walking her dog on Emerson Street Sunday when she heard a wailing that sounded like dogs crying.
She says she looked up and saw Sadie half-way out the window and watched as she landed in a pile of debris.
Two dogs—Sadie (brown) & Rocky (white)—dumped in an abandoned house in Vandergrift with no food or water. Police also say a passersby called 911 after she saw Sadie jump from a second story window Sunday evening. Police say the owner of the dogs live next door to that abandoned house. She surrendered them to TinyCause The owner—Darla Held—told us the dogs rescued were covered in fleas, had ear infections and need to gain 20-25 pounds. Charges are pending. KDKA-TV | CBS Pittsburgh
Posted by Jennifer Borrasso -TV News on Tuesday, October 8, 2019
D'Ascenzo called 911. Vandergrift police, along with a local rescue shelter, arrived on the scene.
Vandergrift Police say 3yr old Sadie & 2 yr old Rocky's owner dumped the dogs inan abandoned house in the 500 block of Emerson St. A neighbor saw Sadie jump out of a window and called 911. Charges are pending. Tonight, dogs are recovering at Tiny Cause Rescue. pic.twitter.com/BBSnS8el7S
— Jennifer Borrasso (@JenBorrasso) October 8, 2019
The white dog, a 2-year-old named Rocky, was also in the home, living in deplorable conditions.
"The officers don't know how long the dogs were in the house, but the conditions of the dogs from the photographs -- they had to be there for a while, not being fed or watered," said Chief Joseph Caporali of the Vandergrift Police Department.
Rescue officials say Sadie and Rocky are malnourished and emaciated.
"There was garbage everywhere. There was no food, an overturned bowl, not a drop of water," said Darla Held, a Tiny Cause Rescue worker. "There was urine and there was feces."
The home was in deplorable condition.
Heidi Beer agreed to surrender the dogs to Tiny Cause Rescue, saying she couldn't afford to care for them anymore.
KDKA's Jennifer Borrasso reached out to Beer for her side of the story, but reports she did not want to talk.
Adam McMaster defended his friend but is confused.
"Heidi and them are good people, but to be honest I don't understand how they could let their animals get like that."
The last thing on my to do list tonight was to go into a vacant deplorable house in Vandergrift and remove 2 very...
Posted by TinyCause on Sunday, October 6, 2019
On Facebook, the rescue posted the message: "They drank water as if it was gold. My heart hurts for them. If you can't take care of your dogs don't put them in an empty house to starve to death!!! This is NEVER the answer!"
Police are investigating and the dogs will be checked out by a veterinarian. They will eventually be up for adoption.
Stay with KDKA for more on this developing story.