Before and after: Santa Paws, an 8-month-old pit bull, was found locked in a basement without sufficient access to food and water on Dec. 23, 2014. He received medical treatment and was adopted by a family in April.
Jeffrey Collins, of Bustleton, pleaded guilty last Friday to first-degree misdemeanor animal cruelty for leaving a young dog locked in a basement without sufficient access to food and water.
Collins, 34, also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor level drug charge. He was sentenced to 24 months probation for animal cruelty and six months of probation for the drug charge, to run concurrently. He is prohibited from owning animals for the probationary period and was ordered to pay over $5,100 to the Pennsylvania SPCA in restitution.
On Dec. 23, 2014, the SPCA removed a severely emaciated dog from a basement in the 3400 block of Morrell St. The dog, so weak that he couldn’t stand, was rushed to the SPCA shelter hospital for urgent medical treatment.
The 8-month-old pit bull was named Santa Paws by SPCA staff. He was transferred to the University of Pennsylvania’s emergency veterinary facility for overnight treatment and then returned to the SPCA, where he remained in critical care at the shelter hospital for several weeks. He was surrendered to the SPCA’s custody and was adopted by a family in April.
“We are pleased Mr. Collins pleaded guilty for his actions and that Santa Paws found justice. As a result of our work, the dog was treated for his severe injuries by our expert veterinarians at our shelter hospital and was placed in a loving home,” said Pennsylvania SPCA CEO Jerry Buckley. “The PSPCA is the only animal welfare agency in the state capable of performing this life-saving work. We are grateful for the generosity of our donors whose contributions are the sole financial support.”
To report animal abuse, call the Pennsylvania SPCA’s cruelty hotline toll-free at 1–866–601-SPCA. ••
