Glassport man pleads guilty to shooting pit bulls

A Glassport man pleaded guilty Friday to taking his two pit bulls to the borough dump last year and shooting them, leaving one dead and one wounded.

Quincy Cowans pleaded guilty to multiple counts of cruelty to animals. Common Pleas Judge David Cashman sentenced him to five years of probation. Cowans, 28, also is forbidden from owning any animals for a decade.

Glassport police became aware of the abuse when animal control officers responded to a call about an injured pit bull near Minnesota Avenue on Dec. 28, according to the criminal complaint. Police later determined the dog had been shot.

Police posted photos of the dog to Facebook in an attempt to find the owner, which they said led them to Cowans.

His wife first tried to say the dogs ran away but Cowans admitted to taking his two dogs to the Glassport dump and shooting them with his 9mm pistol, according to the complaint. He said he shot at the dogs so they wouldn’t follow him home.

Police searched for the second dog, which they found several hours later, buried and under a pile of brush, according to the complaint. Investigators said the dog had been shot in the head and neck.

The surviving pit bull lost an eye to its injuries.

Cowans also must pay $2,000 in restitution, part of which will cover medical treatment for the surviving dog.