Irwin man paroled after pleading guilty to role in killing of dog

A man was paroled Wednesday after he was sentenced to serve 28 days in jail for his role in the killing of a dog last summer on railroad tracks in North Huntingdon.

Anthony Keith Harper, 28, of Irwin pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to torture an animal in connection with the death of a 1-year-old pit bull mix named Brutus after it was found shot to death in August.

Westmoreland County prosecutors dismissed three additional charges of aggravated cruelty to animals in return for Harper’s testimony against the man accused of killing the family pet.

“He got caught up in this because some girl asked him to do her a favor,” said defense attorney Amy Keim.

According to court records, Harper handed over the dog to John W. Harrold, 50, of North Huntingdon, who shot and killed the animal. Police said Harper’s girlfriend and her mother sought to remove the dog from their home after they claimed it bit a young child. Police said Ashley Nichole Kunkle, 30, along with her mother, were caring for the dog on behalf of a relative who had gone out of town.

Police said the women no longer wanted the dog after the biting incident and sought to have the pet euthanized before they asked Harper to remove it from the home.

Harper gave the dog Harrold, who tied it with its own leash to a post by railroad tracks near Turner Valley Road and shot the animal at least two times, police said.

Harper, Kunkle and her mother, 55-year-old Sandra D. Cancino, both of Yukon, all were charged with the same animal cruelty offenses in October. Harrold, who also faces animal cruelty offenses, was charged in December after being identified by Harper as the shooter, officials said.

In court on Wednesday, Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio imposed terms of a negotiated plea bargain in which Harper was sentenced to serve up to 23 months in prison. He was given credit for the four weeks he served in jail following his arrest and was immediately paroled. As part of the deal, Harper is barred from owning any animals during his time on parole.

The cases against Kunkle and Cancino are pending and scheduled for trial before Bilik-DeFazio in July.

Harrold is scheduled to appear Feb. 19 for a preliminary hearing before North Huntingdon District Judge Wayne Gongaware.