Pennsylvania Couple Charged After Leaving Dog Outside in Freezing Weather

Ivan Bailey. Steelton Borough Police Department

A Pennsylvania man and woman have been charged with animal cruelty after allegedly leaving their dog outside in freezing temperatures for hours.

Neighbors in Steelton noticed the dog tethered outside, whimpering, and called authorities.

Officers found the Husky chained outside with no food, water, or shelter, reported Penn Live. The temperature on the day, Dec. 31, hovered around 13 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ivan Bailey, 25, and Catherine Shoenberger, age unknown, refused to identify themselves or cooperate with police, reported Fox43.

They were taken into custody and charged with cruelty to animals, obstruction of justice, neglect of an animal, failure to have the dog vaccinated, and failure to have the dog licensed.

A Pennsylvania law passed late last year gives judges the authority to levy fines and even jail time to pet owners who tether their pets outside for longer than half an hour in temperatures below freezing, reported USA Today.

“Continuous tethering can cause severe physical damages, such as cracked and bleeding paws, frostbite and hypothermia,” Kristen Tullo, Pennsylvania state director of the Humane Society of the United States, said in a news release.

She said neighbors should report people who are violating the law.

“If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for them,” she added.

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