Inspections needed
I am writing to express my appreciation for our Uniontown Code Enforcement Officer, Scott Chappel, for a well-deserved applaud for how he handled a home on Johnson Avenue which was in dire need of major repairs. He also did a good job of responding to complaints from neighbors, one being a friend of mine, who knew animals were in danger residing there.
I spoke to Scott and he informed me he had been unable to even get access inside the home. Someone is always home, but no one answered for the last year, so he took it upon himself to proceed with an exterior inspection of the property beginning in the rear yard.
He noticed a partially buried dog carcass, so he got a shovel from his vehicle and promptly began digging further. He unearthed three additional dogs. He then noticed at a different location little and big paws sticking out of the ground as well. He unearthed them having dug four more dogs.
He alerted the Uninotown City Police, state health department officials, Mayor Bernie Kasievich, Hoffman Kennels and the owner of the property who lived in Gettysburg. They were all helpful in his attempt to proceed further except the owner who was called on a Friday, and showed up on a Monday.
After Scott tried repeatedly to get the tenant to open the door, he saw a back door opened and was able to talk the tenant into letting him in.
Hoffman took five large dogs in the home who are now safely adopted – the sixth dog’s face was badly injured by one of the pit bulls and put down. In an upstairs bathroom, a cat was found with her baby kittens. All had hepatitis and had to be put down.
Scott and K-2 Engineering did an internal inspection and posted the home unfit for human habitation due to deplorable conditions, filth, feces and lack of maintenance. A shovel was used in the upstairs window by the tenant to shovel feces and thrown outside. The tenant was removed from the premises.
To conclude, yes, we are glad Scott used force to legally get her out, but he should have been allowed access to that home instead of having to wait a year. I would like to see the owner/tenant inspection vote to finally pass for much needed inspections of these homes, for the officials, neighbors and animals.
Arlene Jenko is a resident of Uniontown.