Washington County woman accused of burning 10-month-old puppy with blowtorch
WASHINGTON, Pa. (KDKA) — Police have charged a Washington County woman with animal cruelty after they say she tortured a 10-month-old puppy.
Brianne Venneri is accused of burning her boyfriend's English Bulldog, Spunky, with a blowtorch, causing her second and third-degree burns. Spunky's owner, Jamie Wade, said his dog suffered burns across her entire body, including her ears, mouth and stomach.
There were also cigarette burns on the dog's stomach, inside her ears and mouth.
Wade said when he left his house on Monday, Spunky was fine. When he returned 10 minutes later, the dog was barely moving.
"I'm trying to think if what I'm seeing is real," Wade said. "When I figured what I was seeing was real, I asked Brianne what have you done because she was the only one here."
Wade said Spunky is doing better and eating and drinking on her own, but it is unclear if the dog will need skin grafts for her injuries.
Venneri is charged with animal cruelty and is set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on April 5.