An animal control officer who leads a Northampton County dog rescue is accused of animal cruelty.
On Thursday, Stacey Kellner, president of Pibbles Paw Safe Haven in Moore Township, was arraigned on charges alleging she neglected two dogs, leading to their deaths, and another dog by exposing it to sick dogs.
Kellner, 53, of Hellertown, is charged with two felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, as well as a misdemeanor of animal cruelty. She was sent to Northampton County Prison on $25,000 bail.
Pibbles Paw Safe Haven, a foster-based rescue, is a licensed kennel by the state Department of Agriculture. Department spokesperson Shannon Powers said the rescue’s license was revoked Wednesday. The rescue was ordered to cease taking in animals.
The rescue was cited in its last three inspections by the Agriculture Department. In its latest inspection last month, inspectors noted the rescue did not have complete records as required by law. In an inspection earlier in October, investigators found that the facility was not clean, according to state records.
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officer Katherine Hogan, who filed the charges, wrote in court documents that she began investigating Kellner in early October after receiving a complaint about the facility. Like the state inspector, she also found the facility was not clean.
Her investigation led to her finding that two Australian shephard-type puppies died because Kellner had not provided the necessary care for them, according to court documents. They died of suspected parvovirus, authorities said.
Additionally, she exposed another dog by leaving it in an area where other sick dogs had been, officials said.
Kellner did not have an attorney listed for her Thursday morning.
