Police: Security video shows Monessen man kicking, choking and dragging dogs around yard

A Monessen man and woman are in jail after police received more than 50 videos from a neighbor, many of which show the man kicking, choking, dragging and throwing his dogs around the yard as they yelp and scream in pain, according to police.

Douglas J. White, 27, and Mackinzie D. Orndoff, 25, both of Monessen, were taken into custody after the execution of a search warrant last week at their Knox Avenue home turned up two dead dogs buried on the property.

White was charged with felony torture of animals, aggravated cruelty to animals causing serious bodily injury or death, cruelty to animals, neglect of animals and possession of drug paraphernalia for marijuana pipes and associated items found during the search of his home.

Orndoff was charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated cruelty to animals, lack of veterinary care and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Both were unable to post $500,000 bond and were taken to the Westmoreland County Prison.

City police were contacted June 27 by White and Orndoff’s neighbor, who sent 52 videos from security footage recorded between December 2024 and June 2025. Many of the videos show White kicking, choking or aggressively grabbing each of several dogs by the neck and throwing them down the porch steps, dragging them around his yard and slamming and throwing them into the ground, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

A video from June 25 shows White throwing what initially appears to be a lifeless dog bouncing down the steps and into the yard, where it does not move or yelp. A few minutes later, the dog can be seen limping and laying down in the yard before White forcefully grabs it by the neck, dragging it back to his porch out of view of the security camera, according to court records.

Orndoff is seen in several of the videos, police said. She is never shown abusing any of the three living dogs found at the house, an Aussie shepherd mix, an adult German shepherd and a male German shepherd puppy. Police said none of the videos showed Orndoff objecting or attempting to stop White’s abuse of the dogs.

The two dogs exhumed from the yard were a black male pit bull and a second mixed-breed dog. The dogs’ bodies were taken to Frankies Friends in New Kensington.

The three dogs still living were taken to nonprofit All But Furgotten for evaluation by veterinarians. Donations for their care can be made at AllButFurgotten.com.

“They were dehydrated, they appear pretty traumatized and fearful right now and they’re extremely thin,” All But Furgotten board member Hannah Novak said.

Orndoff and White will face a July 11 preliminary hearing in Judge Wayne Vlasic’s Monessen court.