Published: December 11, 2007 09:06 pm      

Advocacy group presses animal-rights charges in chained-dog case

ROARING SPRING — Efforts by a national dog advocacy group to have criminal charges filed against the owners of a dog – the center of high profile trial that begins today – remain in limbo.

The group, Dogs Deserve Better, started in Blair County five years ago by Tammy Grimes, filed a private criminal complaint last week at the office of Roaring Spring District Judge Craig Ormsby.

Its status remains unclear.

The group opposes long-term chaining or tethering of dogs outside.

The charges do not appear to have the approval of Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio or any of his staff, usually a part of the procedure for charges at the district justice level.

An employee at the office confirmed that a private complaint against Steve and Lori Arnold of East Freedom had been brought to the office, but that Ormsby had recused himself.

Ormsby presided over the preliminary hearing of Grimes more than a year ago and sent two of the four theft-related charges against her to Blair County Court.

The office employee said the office is awaiting word from the Blair County Court administrator’s office on which district judge should get the case.

Consiglio has refused to file charges against the Arnolds, the owners of Jake, the mixed breed, 19-year-old dog that Grimes took from their property Sept. 11, 2006.

Consiglio, Grimes and others directly involved are not permitted to speak about the case until a jury verdict is announced.

Grimes said her attorney, Phil Robertson, cautioned her that attempts by Dogs Deserve Better to charge the Arnolds is part of the gag order handed down by Blair Judge Elizabeth Doyle on Nov. 19.

DDB spokeswoman Monica Schreiber said the group is pushing the private criminal charges because public officials have refused.

“The reason for filing a complaint is that somebody needed to do this,” said Schreiber, a lawyer living in California. “A dog that is on the ground for three days and not given veterinarian care, that does not comply with the Pennsylvania animal abuse statute.”