Two dogs. One dead. One barely alive. And a child living through it all — a Lackawanna couple now faces the full weight of the law.
When Stephen Andres called SPCA officers to his South Park Avenue home on February 5, he told them his dog had died. What officers discovered when they walked through that door was far more disturbing than a simple loss.
Inside the home, they found not one but two dogs living in filth — emaciated, neglected, and starving. One of them was already dead. The other, a 7-year-old black-and-white mixed-breed named Diamond, was barely holding on.
Diamond was rushed to the SPCA Serving Erie County, where the chief veterinarian confirmed the heartbreaking truth: she was severely malnourished due to prolonged starvation. She had been slowly starving — not for days, but for an extended period of time.
The dog that didn’t make it — a 10-month-old puppy named ‘Bones’ — was sent to Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine for a full necropsy. Veterinary pathologists concluded the cause of death was chronic, prolonged starvation. He never had a chance.
“Officers found a dead dog who appeared to be emaciated, neglected, and living in unsanitary conditions.” — Erie County DA’s Office
Stephen Andres, 42, and his wife Tara Andres, 44, were arraigned Tuesday on a serious list of charges: Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, Overdriving, Torturing and Injuring Animals, Failure to Provide Proper Sustenance — and perhaps most alarming — Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
A child was living in that same home. Authorities say the couple knowingly allowed conditions that were harmful to the physical, mental, and moral wellbeing of that child. The animals weren’t the only ones at risk.
Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane confirmed the indictment, saying the couple failed to provide even the most basic care — food — to their animals over a sustained period of time.
There is one bright spot in this story: Diamond survived. She has since been adopted by a former SPCA veterinarian and is now on the road to recovery — finally getting the love and care she deserved all along.
What Happens Next: The couple are currently released under probation supervision ordered by Lackawanna City Court Judge Kenneth Szyszkowski. They are due back in court on Wednesday, June 17 for a pre-trial conference. If convicted on all counts, they face significant jail time and permanent restrictions on owning animals.
A puppy named Bones died of starvation in a home where food existed. That is not neglect by accident — and a jury will soon decide what to call it.
