Owner guilty of animal cruelty 4/18/10

By Danielle Lynch

A judge found a Franklin man guilty on 11 citations of animal cruelty filed against him by the Large Animal Protection Society.

Magisterial District Judge Matthew Seavey of Avondale made the ruling Tuesday at the criminal summary trial of Mark Nedohon.

"We couldn't be happier with the judge's decision," said Nancy Botella, a Humane Society Police Officer for the Large Animal Protection Society.

The society seized 10 horses and a goat from Nedohon in recent months. The first seizure took place in January; the second was in March.

Seavey also ruled that Nedohon must pay the society full restitution for the upkeep of the animals and veterinary care, according to Vincent Difabio, a private attorney hired by the society for this case.
Additionally, Nedohon has to for
feit all animals to the society, Difabio said.
Ultimately, Nedohon has to pay $300 for each of the 11 citations plus court fees and an additional $8,656 in restitution, officials said. Nedohon has 30 days to appeal the judge's decision.
"If he doesn't appeal, we will put the animals up for adoption," said Botella.
The society warned Nedohon several times and attempted to work with him before the citations were filed, according to Botella.
The society filed five animal cruelty citations against Nedohon in February for the horses that were seized in January. Four foals and a mare were reportedly emaciated and suffered from pneumonia, lice and a skin infection known as rain rot. The mare had a fever, rain rot and scratches.
In March, the society seized five more emaciated horses and goat from Nedohon's property. These animals were severely underweight and suffered from rain rot, Botella said. One mare was severely crippled and had a punctured ankle; the goat was unable to stand.
After authorities seized the animals, they took them to the society's farm in southern Chester County, where they received care from veterinarians.
The society is grateful of the veterinarians' assistance with this case, including Jeffrey Dill of Applebrook Veterinary Clinic and Megan Smith and Ray Sweeney of the New Bolton Center, said Botella. The animals have made significant improvements in their conditions.
"All the horses are doing wonderfully," she said. "The babies are all running around."
The Large Animal Protection Society is a state-chartered, all-volunteer humane agency that has investigated reports of animal abuse in Chester, Berks, Delaware and Lancaster counties since 1988. It has state-trained, court-authorized and badged Humane Society police officers.
Similar to the Chester County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that helps smaller pets, such as dogs and cats, the Large Animal Protection Society helps bigger animals, such as horses, donkeys, cows, pigs, goats, llamas, alpacas and sheep.
Nedohon did not have legal representation during the summary trial. An attempt to reach him for comment Friday was unsuccessful.