Unity woman gets probation in animal cruelty case

A Unity woman was ordered Wednesday to serve a year on probation for animal cruelty after leaving her pets alone in filthy conditions after she was evicted from her Cook Township home.

Patricia Canton, 52, was permitted to enroll in the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition program for first-time, nonviolent offenders. The prison diversionary program allows defendants charged with crimes to serve probation sentences without having to plead guilty to the offenses.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio imposed the probation sentence and ordered Canton to surrender to humane officers any other animals in her care. Canton also agreed to allow humane officers to periodically conduct animal welfare checks at her home to ensure she no longer has pets. She can have her criminal record expunged after the probation term is completed.

Canton was charged in June with 11 misdemeanor animal cruelty counts and 24 summary offenses for failing to provide water, food, shelter and medical care for two dogs and 11 birds found in her home after she had been evicted on June 21.

Three days later, humane agents with All But Furgotton in North Huntingdon seized six parakeets, three cockatiels, a husky and an Anatolian shepherd.

The birds were in cages with layers of feces with little to no food or clean water, according to court records. The husky was infested by fleas and had hair loss. The shepherd was confined to a muddy kennel with little shelter.