YORK, Pa. — An unhoused York man has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals after police found his severely neglected German Shepherd suffering from a life-threatening case of mange, according to a criminal complaint filed last week.
Louis Miller, 35, was charged after a concerned citizen noticed the dog outside a Sheetz store on Arsenal Road last Friday and contacted authorities, according to Northern York County Regional Police.
The responding officer found Miller and his girlfriend at a table outside the store and observed the dog, which was missing most of its fur and shaking, the complaint states. The dog was skinny, had several open wounds, and was dripping blood onto the sidewalk, the officer noted.
The dog's condition was so bad the officer was unable to determine what breed it was, according to the complaint.
Miller admitted he was the dog's owner and told the officer he was unable to afford care for the animal. The last time he had the dog, a 1-year-old Shepherd named Lobo, at the veterinarian it was diagnosed with allergies, which was why it was scratching and gnawing at its skin so often, according to the complaint.
The responding officer contacted a SPCA animal control officer, who responded to the scene. The officer determined the dog most likely had mange, and would likely die if it went much longer without treatment. The SPCA took possession of the dog and took it to a veterinarian for care, police said.
Miller was charged with a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals and was taken into custody, according to police.
