Published Friday, October 25, 2002
accused of animal cruelty
Herald Staff Writer
The Humane Society of Mercer County has cited the son-in-law of the main protagonists in a battle to keep the society from building a shelter and office in Farrell.
Albert Mathis of 932 Fruit Ave., Farrell, was cited Wednesday with cruelty to animals for keeping an 8-month-old female dog, named Righteous, outside without shelter or water and not taking it to a veterinarian, said Cyndi Sankey, humane agent.
Mathis' daughter, Jacqueline, disputed the charges and said her family was singled out for its opposition to the proposed society building in Farrell.
"I really believe it's because everything that was going on with the shelter," said Ms. Mathis, who signed a petition protesting the city zoning board's ruling. "I believe that I was a target point because I am the pastors' daughter."
The society received a variance from the Farrell Zoning Hearing Board to build an office, indoor kennel and retail store at Roemer Boulevard and Fruit Avenue.
Pentecostal House of Prayer, 725 Fruit Ave., which is co-pastored by Ms. Mathis' parents, the Revs. Keith and Letitia Banks, has appealed the decision to Mercer County Common Pleas Court.
Ms. Sankey said she did not know the Mathis' relationship to the Banks until Thursday, when Rev. Keith Banks came up to her at the scene.
"We didn't even know that," said Rick Harakal, president of the society. "We had no idea who lived there until after the fact."
"We didn't go there to start trouble," Harakal said. "We went there because an animal needed help."
Harakal said he had received complaints from three different people over two weeks that the dog was outside. He went to the house Saturday and said he found the dog "shivering cold."
He informed Ms. Mathis of the complaint and gave her until Monday to take care of the problem, he said.
He returned Wednesday with Ms. Sankey.
The golden puppy -- Ms. Mathis called it a chow, while Ms. Sankey said it's a mixed-breed -- is short-haired. "It is not the type of breed that can live well outside," Ms. Sankey said.
During the day, the dog is chained near the house, and can go under a porch roof when it rains, Ms. Mathis said.
At night, it is chained in an area farther away from the house, where it can use a doghouse, she said.
"Sometimes she sleeps outside the doghouse and sometimes she sleeps inside," Ms. Mathis said. "I can't make her sleep inside it."
Harakal said the arrangements are not good enough.
"A dog needs a doghouse to hold in its body heat," he said. "That's the only way to keep it warm."
Blankets that the family put outside near the porch will not help when they get wet, Ms. Sankey said.
Ms. Sankey said the dog's food and water dishes were dry Wednesday.
Ms. Mathis said the dog is fed and watered twice a day, but no one is home for parts of the day to make sure the water dish is full. She also said the dishes were full when Harakal visited Saturday.
Mathis told her the dog had not been to a veterinarian, Ms. Sankey said.
Ms. Mathis said she has no veterinarian records. The dog is her husband's, and it would be up to him to see that the dog is cared for, she said.
"I remember her getting her shots around the Fourth of July," she said.
Mathis got the dog July 3, she said.
Ms. Sankey said the dog is thin but "by no means starving," and added that Righteous needs to be examined by a vet.
Ms. Sankey said she will file the citation today at the office of District Justice Henry J. Russo, Hermitage. Mathis will have 10 days to enter a plea.
If he pleads guilty, he will be fined $500 and costs, Ms. Sankey said.
Russo's office would set a summary trial if Mathis pleads not guilty. Both sides could present their cases and Russo would rule on guilt. Russo also would have the discretion to set the fine if he finds Mathis guilty.
The dog has been taken in by a neighboring family.
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Joe Pinchot at jpinchot@sharonherald.com