Belle Vernon residents raise concerns about animal control incident
BELLE VERNON — An animal control incident that claimed the life of a dog has sparked an outcry from several residents of Belle Vernon.
Georgette Saxberg addressed council members during their monthly meeting this week, demanding the removal of an animal control officer she alleged shot a pit bull on March 26. Saxberg, who lives on Blind Lane, said she returned home from shopping that day to find the officer chasing several dogs across the street.
“(He) caught one of the dogs but couldn’t get hold of the other one,” said Saxberg. “He kept spraying the dog with mace, which made the dog foam at the mouth. The dog wasn’t acting aggressive. Finally, (he) shot the dog twice and killed it. Why didn’t he just use a tranquilizer instead? That dog didn’t have to die. It was a terrible thing to watch.”
Candice Saxberg, granddaughter of Georgette Saxberg, said she’s had issues with the owner of the dogs.
“We didn’t think the dogs were being cared for in a humane matter,” she said. “They looked very thin and other times they were up to their knees in mud. The new laws also require that dogs are to be kept in a habitable environment where they are warm and dry. During the past winter, we made some calls to the humane officer to voice our concerns. It was our legal obligation to do so.”
Added Georgette Saxberg, “I want that animal control officer fired. We don’t need a person like that in our community.”
Solicitor Krisha DiMascio told the Saxbergs that they have a right to file a complaint with the state.
“We have very limited control over what happens with animals in Belle Vernon,” she said. “We subcontract from the state for a certified animal control specialist. Whatever he does is regulated by the state. The state is his boss.”
Georgette Saxberg said she also received a cease-and-desist letter from the attorney of the dog owner.
“I was told not to make claims about how the dog was being treated by its owner,” she said. “I was accused of calling the police that day. They said this dog was killed because of me. But I wasn’t home until the dog catcher was already there. I never called the police that day.”
Mayor Gerald Jackson told Georgette Saxberg that he shared her concerns.
“If I got a letter like that I’d be upset, too,” he said. “There’s no need for anyone to send a letter blaming you for what happened. That aggravates me.”
DiMascio asked Jackson if he wanted Saxberg’s statement to be reported in the minutes of the meeting.
“Are you asking for the minutes to report that Ms. Saxberg stated she was not the person who called the police that day? And that she is actually an animal lover?”
“Definitely,” replied Jackson.
Also during the meeting, Bruce Kusaj, a Belle Vernon resident who lives at 38 Mulberry Street, next to Brewer Stadium, told council the hillside above his property is shifting downward.
“That’s pushing up a wall in my back yard,” he said. “That’s causing my property value to go down. Early action is necessary.”
Jackson told Kusaj that the borough has been monitoring the situation and will soon decide how to respond to the problem.
“I’ve been up there several times to see what’s going on,” he said. “Our engineer is doing a study and will soon give it to our solicitor for review. After she looks at the study and gives us our legal status, we can determine what to do next.”
Jackson added that the borough expanded the study to look other properties that may be affected by the problem.
“Our engineer doesn’t feel this is a safety concern,” he said. “It’s more of an aesthetic issue. But if you ever feel unsafe, you can all me anytime. We should have a report for you at our next meeting and a game plan for how we’re going to attack this issue.”
In other business:
n Jackson said that a 2-mile stretch of Route 906 has been temporarily shut down for safety concerns. PennDOT is exploring the cause of a rockslide from an adjoining hillside.
n Council honored former Southwestern Regional police chief John Hartman during a retirement party and presented him with a retirement badge and certificate. Hartman, who was hired by the former Belle Vernon Police Department in 1997, helped to found the Southwest Regional Police Department and became its first police chief.