A Bellefonte man is facing animal cruelty charges after a dog he owned was found dead of starvation in an abandoned State College apartment where he previously resided, according to borough police.
The landlord of a building on the 500 block of South Burrowes Street reported to police on April 18 that a dog had been left unattended in a vacant apartment and appeared to be deceased, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed on Monday. The landlord said he recognized the dog as belonging to Michael A. Wright, 51, a former tenant of the building, which police noted was posted as uninhabitable.
An officer found the emaciated body of Harlem, a three and a half year old female Cane Corso/pitbull mix, dead under a blanket in a room on the basement level of the apartment, according to the affidavit.
Prior to entering the room, the officer observed a strong odor of feces and urine, and that the door was closed with foam placed around the frame. Inside, the officer found dozens of piles of feces, urine stains on the tile floor and chew marks along the window, shade and interior door frame, according to the affidavit.
On the upper floor of the apartment were plastic bowls of food and water with mold and debris, police wrote.
Harlem was identified by a microchip, which showed she was registered to Wright, whose name was on paperwork and personal belongings found inside the apartment and whose current address was in Bellefonte, police wrote.
A veterinarian at VCA Metzger Animal Hospital determined that the dog died “some time ago” and was emaciated at a weight of 33.5 pounds.
Harlem was later taken to the Penn State Animal Diagnostic Laboratory for a necropsy. A veterinarian pathologist concluded the cause of death was starvation.
A test showed the dog had a bone marrow fat content of 4.6%, with normal being 63% or higher.
Wright is charged with felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and criminal trespass and a misdemeanor count of neglect of animals.
He was arraigned on Saturday afternoon by District Judge Casey McClain, who set unsecured bail at $10,000.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
