Lancaster Township man charged with neglecting severely injured and dead dogs as he traveled abroad waives preliminary hearing

A Lancaster Township man charged with neglecting multiple dogs, including one that was found dead and another whose leg was later amputated due to injuries, as he traveled abroad will have his case proceed to county court after waiving his preliminary hearing last month.

Osvaldo Coello-Mendoza, 53, waived his preliminary hearing before Judge Mary Sponaugle on Sept. 29 on two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, six counts of cruelty to animals and 13 counts of neglect of animals.

Coello-Mendoza is accused of neglecting the dogs as they suffered in deplorable conditions at his residence in the 1000 block of Sterling Place, all while failing to provide them shelter and veterinary care.

Police and the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) recovered a total of 10 dogs from Coello-Mendoza’s residence, one of which was already dead by the time they arrived. A necropsy later determined that the dog died of severe trauma, had numerous bite wounds and may have been scavenged after it died.

Many of the dogs had suffered bite wounds and other injuries that indicated they had been fighting other canines and also suffered from parasites and numerous other health ailments. One of the dogs was so badly wounded that its leg required amputation.

Seven of the dogs, including the one that died, were left without water or shelter in a urine- and feces-covered yard.

Another two dogs were found living inside makeshift kennels constructed with chicken wire. One dog was found with wet and matted fur from laying on a vomit-covered floor inside the kennel.

Investigators discovered the animals at the residence the afternoon of April 30 following reports that multiple dogs had been fighting in the backyard and that one of them had died. One of the home’s residents told police Coello-Mendoza had left on a trip to Cuba earlier that morning.

A neighbor told police she had previously observed the dogs fighting at Coello-Mendoza’s residence and saw that one of the dogs was dead. Coello-Mendoza is currently free after posting $50,000 bail.

Coello-Mendoza had been free on unsecured bail, but Judge Sponaugle imposed monetary bail after he fled court during a previously scheduled preliminary hearing on the matter.

Lancaster Township Police Det. Josh Whiteside and Pennsylvania SPCA Lt. Jennifer Nields filed the charges.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.