BRADFORD, Pa. – The former owner of a property where more than 20 Great Dane (search) carcasses were found earlier this month has been charged with animal cruelty.
Police issued a warrant for the arrest of Cheryl Ann Magnotta (search), 59, after she was charged with 21 counts of animal cruelty, Bradford Township police said Friday.
Magnotta was also charged with 41 summary counts of scattering rubbish on the property, police said.
Each of the animal cruelty counts is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison.
On June 12, a real estate agent found two decomposing Great Dane carcasses behind a nailed-shut kennel door and called authorities. Authorities later found the remains of more than 20 dogs that had apparently starved, according to a police affidavit.
Magnotta had a registered kennel license as recently as 2001 and was known to breed the dogs, police said.
Authorities believe the dogs died three to nine months ago. Some were covered with lime and soil and others were wrapped in tarps and carpet.
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