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Apr 08, 2024

Pavlo Santiago begins serving short sentence in animal cruelty case

Aug 4, 2023 CAMPBELL — A Campbell man who pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty went to jail Tuesday and will be out this weekend. Campbell Municipal Court Judge Patrick P. Cunning accepted the

Aug 4, 2023

CAMPBELL — A Campbell man who pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty went to jail Tuesday and will be out this weekend.

Campbell Municipal Court Judge Patrick P. Cunning accepted the plea of Pavlo Santiago, 62, and the man was taken immediately to Mahoning County jail, where he was to spend five days.

The case against Santiago began in February when a neighbor notified police about animals being kept in inhumane conditions at Santiago’s Whipple Avenue home.

Police and city authorities visited the house multiple times over several days to investigate the claims and take photos before they finally encountered Santiago on his porch on March 1, according to police reports. That day, they brought several animal rescue teams with them, including two from Michigan.

The police report describes 20 chickens, six rabbits and 64 pigeons kept in filthy and unsanitary conditions in cages in the backyard, and an emaciated dog named Buster that had been locked in Santiago’s garage for three years, surrounded by more than 18 inches of its own feces. The report states that none of the animals had any visible source of food or water.

Police informed Santiago that they would be removing all of the animals, and the report states that he consented to and even helped with the removal.

In addition to the jail time, Santiago was fined $250. In lieu of probation, the court ordered that he is not permitted to keep any animals.

“It may not seem like a lot,” said Patrolman Jim Conroy, who handles the city’s animal cases, “but most people convicted of animal cruelty in Mahoning County do not spend a day in jail. But in Campbell, whether it’s five days or 15 or 30, we do impose jail time.”

Conroy said four animal rescues pitched in to cover Buster’s veterinary costs, which exceeded $2,000. The dog recovered and was adopted in June.

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