Target: Brian Gallagher, District Attorney of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Goal: Prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the individual charged with 10 felony counts of aggravated cruelty and 10 misdemeanor counts of animal neglect after more than 20 cats were allegedly found in life-threatening condition inside a condemned home.
Officers who entered a condemned residence to serve an arrest warrant reportedly discovered one of the worst animal neglect scenes a local shelter had encountered in seven years: more than 20 cats living in a home filled with animal waste, with multiple deceased animals stored inside containers throughout the property. The man inside reportedly admitted to keeping more than 20 cats in the condemned residence and told officers that multiple animals had already died there. Responders from local animal shelters who entered to assist reportedly found the cats in a state of severe emaciation, describing the situation as so dire that it would take “a miracle” for some of the animals to regain their health.
The accused now faces 10 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and 10 misdemeanor counts of animal neglect — a combined 20 charges reflecting the scale of what was allegedly found. Pennsylvania’s aggravated cruelty statutes carry serious penalties and exist precisely to hold accountable those who subject animals to conditions this extreme. A shelter representative who responded to the scene stated it was among the worst homes they had ever entered in seven years of responding to cruelty cases — a statement that underscores the gravity of what the accused allegedly allowed these animals to endure.
The Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office must pursue every felony charge with maximum force. Sign this petition to demand that the accused face the full weight of Pennsylvania’s animal cruelty laws.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear DA Gallagher,
We are writing to urge your office to pursue the maximum penalties available under Pennsylvania law against the individual charged with 10 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and 10 misdemeanor counts of animal neglect following the alleged discovery of more than 20 cats in life-threatening condition inside a condemned home. Officers responding to serve an arrest warrant reportedly found severe unsanitary conditions and the remains of multiple deceased animals stored in containers throughout the property. The accused allegedly admitted to keeping the cats in the condemned residence and confirmed that multiple animals had already perished there.
Animal shelter staff who responded to assist described the conditions as among the worst they had ever encountered in seven years of cruelty cases, and stated that some of the surviving cats would need a miracle to recover. Each of the 10 felony counts of aggravated cruelty filed in this case represents an animal who allegedly endured prolonged neglect in a condemned, waste-filled home — and each felony count demands the full prosecutorial attention of your office.
We respectfully but firmly demand that your office pursue conviction and the maximum available sentencing on all 20 charges. Additional charges are still possible as the investigation continues, and we urge your office to pursue them if warranted. The cats who survived this alleged ordeal, and any who did not, deserve nothing less than the full force of justice.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Xuân Thống Trần
