50 animals seized from Butler County home after cruelty investigation

A Connoquenessing Township man faces felony animal cruelty charges after authorities found two dead German Shepherds that belonged to him, and seized 50 animals from his home.

Paul Joseph Frederick, 53, was arrested Saturday after state police in Butler searched his home in Butler Township and removed 50 animals — including dogs, cats, pigs, goats and ducks — from the residence. The animals were taken to a shelter in Erie, state police said.

Frederick is charged with two felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, and single misdemeanor charges of obstructing administration of law and resisting arrest.

According to the criminal complaint, a Butler County Sheriff K-9 located two garbage bags off a parking lot along Whitestown Road in Butler Township. The bags contained two dead German Shepherds that belonged to Frederick, the complaint said.

The dogs had matted fur and appeared underweight, the complaint said.

Frederick showed up to the scene and told police he knew nothing about the dogs, then saying he had a dog that died die about a week ago, and that his son was supposed to bury it in the area, the complaint said. Frederick told police he didn’t know how the dogs died.

A necropsy determined the dogs were starved to death, and that they were about 30 pounds underweight, the complaint said. State police then obtained a search warrant for Frederick’s home in the 100 block of Double Road, where the animals were seized.

During the search, Frederick became “increasingly agitated” and refused to leave the home, the complaint said. Troopers had to physically remove Frederick from the home.