Police: Pair dumped mother cat, 4 kittens at Hempfield shopping plaza

A Southwest Greensburg man and woman are accused by police of dumping a mother cat and four kittens behind a shopping plaza in Hempfield.

Samantha Talley Smith and Corey William Seabol, both 26, are charged with cruelty to animals and neglect of animals. Seabol faces additional citations of driving while his operating privilege is suspended.

Humane agents were called to Greengate East shopping plaza off Route 30 on Oct. 6 where the animals were found near a large trash bin. Greensburg police said surveillance video from a business in the plaza showed a car with a man and woman inside driving around 7:30 p.m.

The video shows the woman remove the animals from the car’s backseat, put them on the ground and leave in the car, according to court papers. Investigators identified Seabol and Smith as the culprits through photographs posted on Facebook of them holding the mother cat.

The markings on the black-and-white cat in the photos match that of the animal rescued at the shopping plaza, police said.

During an interview on Jan. 10, Smith told police her landlord threatened eviction because she had too many pets, according to court papers. Smith told police she tried to locate a shelter to take the animals before leaving them at the plaza, but was unsuccessful. The vehicle seen in the video was parked outside of Seabol and Smith’s home, police said.

The animals were taken in by Wayward Whiskers.

The charges will be sent by summons. Preliminary hearings had not been scheduled.

Neither Smith nor Seabol had an attorney listed in online court records. Phone numbers for them could not be located.