Man Charged with Cruelty to Animals After Dog Dies
By: Jason McKee, The Mercury
January 25, 2004, WEST
POTTSGROVE, PA --
They were chained outside, without food or water, in the frigid winter
weather. Their master moved to another town and left his two dogs to rot,
according to police. Jeffrey Helverson, 39, who now lives in Pottstown,
moved out of his School Lane residence in November and left his two dogs
penned out back, according to court records.
The starvation of the dogs went unnoticed until a neighbor saw one of the
animals lying lifeless in its cage Dec. 29 and called police. CJ, a cocker
spaniel, had starved to death. A terrier named Pete was in an adjacent cage,
emaciated and barely alive. The heavy chain around the dog’s neck had torn
into its flesh, leaving an open wound. There was a bucket in Pete’s cage
filled with brown water, dirt and leaves, but it was placed just out of
reach. The dog aggravated the wound as it struggled against the chain to get
to the rancid water. But the chain was too short.
When police questioned Helverson, he said he noticed the wound on Pete’s
neck in early November. He didn’t do anything about it.
He last fed the dogs on or around Dec. 15, according to court records.
Helverson said he stopped by again on Dec. 20 and saw CJ lying "lifeless."
He didn’t do anything about it.
"There are people who could have taken care of these dogs," West Pottsgrove
Police Chief Earl Swavely said. "(Helverson) didn’t even try to help them.
It’s really sad."
Helverson has been charged with cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor offense,
and disorderly conduct, a summary.
Pete was rescued by the SPCA. The wound on his neck is healing and the dog
is "doing well," police said.
