Man charged after 2 dogs found dead in garbage bags, 50 animals removed from Butler County home

CONNOQUENESSING TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Fifty animals were removed from a home in Butler County after two dogs were found dead in garbage bags.

The gruesome discovery was made on Friday afternoon when a deputy stopped to let his K-9 out.

The criminal complaint said a Butler County Sheriff’s deputy stopped at the Vagabonds event center off Whitestown Road in Butler Township to let his K-9 out. That K-9 immediately sniffed out two garbage bags.

Each garbage had a dead German Shepherd inside. Both were severely underweight, and a veterinarian determined they were starved to death.

Police said the dogs had collars that were traced back to Paul Frederick.

Audrey Clark grew up on the street where Frederick lives and is familiar with the family.

“I think that’s absolutely disgusting. That’s foul,” Clark said. “There’s nothing that you can really say to justify that. There is a million other things that they could’ve done if they didn’t want the animals except for starving them. "

Neighbors told Channel 11 the Fredericks are pet breeders and occasionally cater out of the Vagabonds venue, about five miles away from their home in Connoquenessing Township.

The criminal complaint said when police questioned Frederick, he claimed he didn’t know how the dogs died.

Channel 11 tried to talk to Frederick’s wife at their home but she was too emotional and told us, “No comment.”

On Saturday, April 6, the day after the horrific discovery, police got a search warrant and seized 50 animals from the home, including dogs, cats, pigs, goats and ducks.

Norman Herald lives next door to the Fredericks.

“They’re good people,” Herald said. “I was shocked. I was really shocked because they don’t bother nobody and as far as I know they take good care of their animals.”

Herald said he doesn’t think Frederick would kill his dogs.

“No, I don’t believe that,” he said. “Definitely, I don’t believe that.”

Other neighbors believe he should be held accountable.

“He should definitely be charged, and those charges should stick,” said Clark. “Personally, I think you should be in jail.”

All the animals taken out of the home were brought to Anna Shelter in Erie.

Paul Frederick is charged with cruelty to animals and resisting arrest.

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