Fayette County woman charged with leaving dogs in apartment without food, water
A Republic woman is charged with leaving dogs without access to food or water in the apartment from which she had been evicted.
Police said the dogs were found emaciated at the North Union Township apartment of Mykel Nolan, 21, in June after downstairs tenants complained of water dripping from the ceiling.
The water turned out to be from a sink that had been left on, police said. Once inside, the guard found “hoarder conditions” with garbage and several inches of standing water on the floor.
“No food source was visible in the apartment, and the floor was covered with feces and urine,” Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Jonathan Hillegas wrote in the complaint.
A pitbull puppy was found lying on a bed, police said. In the same room, there was a German shepherd locked in a wire crate in the closet, laying on a blanket matted with feces, according to the complaint. Court records said it had no access to food or water.
“Both dogs appeared emaciated with ribs being visible,” the complaint said.
Police opened the door to a second bedroom containing a black lab that had no food or water and also appeared emaciated, charging documents said.
Nolan subsequently surrendered the animals, who were evaluated at an animal hospital, charging documents said.
All three dogs required veterinary intervention for life-threatening illnesses, court records said. According to the complaint, all three were diagnosed with diarrhea and parasites for coccidia and giardia.
In a video call with police, Nolan told them she was vacationing in Miami, but could not remember the name of her hotel, charging documents said.
Police said Nolan told them she had entrusted care of the animals to her boyfriend, William Fullilove. She gave officers his date of birth, eight months to the day after Nolan’s, but told them she did not have his contact information, because he is from Philadelphia, the complaint said.
A police search did not find anyone with that name or date of birth, according to court records.
Nolan is charged with six felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. She also faces misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals and neglect of animals, and summary citations for failure to obtain dog licenses and to get the animals vaccinated against rabies.