Two arrested after dead dogs found in Redstone Township
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
State police charged two people Thursday after two dead dogs were discovered in a Redstone Township home.
Ryan S. Murphy, 36, and Paige Leigh Miske, 31, each face felony charges of aggravated cruelty to animals. Court documents list their address as Uniontown.
During a press conference at the Washington barracks, state police spokesperson Rocco Gagliardi said that troopers were called to a home in the 800 block of Clover Street on April 18 after a neighbor reported seeing a dead animal inside.
When troopers arrived they could see one deceased dog through a glass door, as well as two cats roaming the house.
Gagliardi said the dog that was visible from the outside was tan in color and had been barricaded in a room with wooden planks.
“So the dog really had no way of escape from that room or residence,” Gagliardi said. “They also observed a second which was darker in color, almost black, that was found deceased inside a bedroom closet.”
Investigators said there was no food or water available to the animals, and it appeared one of the dogs had begun to chew through a mattress.
Ninth Life Rescue was called to the home to remove the dogs and cats. The cats were found to be severely dehydrated, according to Gagliardi.
The neighbor who called 911 told investigators it had been several months since he had seen Murphy or Miske at the residence.
Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said at the press conference that Murphy was arrested April 23 on charges of receiving payment for services and failure to perform in connection with construction-related jobs. Aubele said he also faces a similar case in Allegheny County.
Miske was taken into custody at 3 p.m. Thursday and is being held in the Fayette County jail.
Aubele said neither individual was incarcerated before the animals were discovered, and they failed to take proper care of them.
“This absolutely shouldn’t have happened,” Aubele said. “These animals needed to be taken care of. They were helpless, and intentionally or knowingly starved to death.”
Murphy and Miske also face misdemeanor charges of neglect of animals.
According to online court records, neither Murphy nor Miske has been arraigned on the charges. Murphy is being held in the Fayette County jail on $18,500 bond for the charges of failure to perform services.