LANCASTER, PA — Richard Swangler, a 56-year-old man from Bristol, Bucks County, was charged Tuesday with a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals. The charge stems from an incident involving a small black cat that occurred on March 3, 2024, at his temporary residence in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster County.
According to the West Hempfield Township Police Department, officers were dispatched to Swangler’s residence on the 100 block of W. Broad Street in the early morning hours of March 3. Swangler had reported a wild animal, which he believed to be a jaguar, inside his home.
Upon arrival, officers found Swangler with scratch and bite marks on his arms, but no wild animal was located. A further search of the home revealed the injured cat, which had suffered severe facial injuries, including a traumatic complete degloving of the lower chin/mandible.
The cat was immediately transported to PETS emergency center where it received necessary surgical care. The Organization for Responsible Care of Animals (ORCA) took over the cat’s transport and is currently monitoring its recovery. The cat is expected to make a full recovery.
Swangler was taken into custody due to outstanding probation violation warrants. The aggravated animal cruelty charge was subsequently filed before Magisterial District Judge Miles Bixler. Swangler was arraigned, and bail was set at $15,000. He remains in Lancaster County Prison, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 12, 2023, at 9 a.m.
As always, any charges are allegations, and all defendants, including Swangler, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. West Hempfield Township Police Officer Karl Hartranft filed the charges. Further details may emerge as the investigation continues.
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