3 puppies die from injuries after police find them tossed in trash can

By Madeline Bartos, Mamie Bah

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    CANTON TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — Three puppies that were found in the trash with a dead littermate in Washington County have also died, police said.

Pennsylvania State Police said the four pit bull-type puppies were found tied up in plastic grocery bags inside a garbage can on Beacon Avenue in Canton Township the morning of Oct. 20. Neighbors called police after they heard dogs crying from inside the trash can.

Jackie Kosek was alerted by one of her neighbors, who was out for a walk with their dog and heard noises. She then walked over with them to see what it was and was shocked.

“I started digging, then I found the first two. They were in this plastic bag. I couldn’t untie it so I tore it apart. They were soaking wet. Then I kept digging and I found the next puppy. Opened it up, same thing, soaking wet,” said Kosek.

She took them to her place just a few doors down, wrapped them in a towel and gave them puppy milk.

When police arrived, three puppies were still alive, but investigators said they were severely injured, with serious injuries to their legs.

In an update on Tuesday, police said those three puppies died before they could have surgery.

Franklin Donley of Washington was charged with multiple counts of aggravated animal cruelty. Police said in their update that they’ve also filed aggravated animal cruelty charges against Jessica Vanderlee.

According to the criminal complaint, Donley said his dog had given birth throughout the night and he thought that the mother had attacked and maimed her puppies. Donley said he didn’t want his daughter to see what had happened, so he and Vanderlee decided to get rid of them, police said.

It’s the latest case of animal cruelty against puppies in Western Pennsylvania. In August, Westmoreland County-based Cross Your Paws Rescue said it was caring for six “grossly underweight and dehydrated” puppies that had been dumped. In July, Action For Animals Humane Society said it had rescued a bin full of puppies that had been left in the parking lot of the Walmart in Latrobe.

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