Todd Hevner, executive director of the SPCA of Luzerne County, is joined by humane officers to provide updates on Nova, a pit bull puppy who suffered horrific neglect.
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PLAINS TWP. — They called her Nova, and the SPCA said she’s a “fighter.”
She’s an eight-month-old pit bull, and she was the dog that was found in a severe state of neglect and possible abuse near Defoe Street in Pittston this week.
And while Todd Hevner, executive director of the SPCA of Luzerne County, said Nova is on the path to recovery, he said during a press conference on Thursday it’s important that the persons responsible for leaving her in such a sad state need to be brought to justice.
“As an animal welfare professional and a pet parent myself, this is heartbreaking to say the absolute least that a dog is left in this condition,” Hevner said.
Hevner is asking anyone with any information that could lead to an arrest of the people who neglected Nova contact the SPCA at 570-825-4111, ext. 103, to speak directly with a humane officer.
Nova was found in an alleyway near Defoe Street in Pittston, called Davis Alley, apparently having been abandoned with a lime green pop-up kennel.
Nova, Hevner said, is currently at a 1 on the Purina Body Condition System, meaning she is severely underweight, with little to no apparent body fat and loss of muscle mass. Hevner said she’s currently in stable condition, but she has a long road ahead of her.
The SPCA believes that the neglect of Nova likely happened over a long period, with Wayne Harvey, a humane officer and lead investigator on the case, saying she didn’t end up in that state “overnight.”
Hevner said that it’s good someone found Nova when they did, as she likely would not have made it through this week’s heat in her condition.
“Without our community, we cannot follow up on cases like this,” Hevner said. “So again, we ask, we implore, we beg, if anyone has any information about this particular dog, Nova, we ask that you provide us with that information at our offices.”
Harvey also said that any tips made could be made anonymously.
A reward
During the press conference, Hevner alluded to a “substantial reward” for information that leads to an arrest.
That award seems to be coming by way of Anthony Spatucci, a businessman based in, of all places, Lake Tahoe, Nev. Spatucci owns Tahoe Paddle Sports, based on Glenbrook, Nev., although he grew up in the Poconos.
Spatucci spoke with the Times Leader on Thursday morning, and he explained that his mom sent him a link to an article about what happened to Nova.
“I’m an animal person,” he said. “When I saw that… I want the people found.”
Spatucci said he contacted Pittston Police in the hopes of helping to set up a reward. Spatucci said he’d be willing to put in at least $1,000, calling that the “bare minimum” of what he’s going to offer.
He said it’s the least he could do.
“There should never be an animal that looks like that picture,” he said referring to the photo shared by Pittston Police that first brought attention to Nova’s plight. “I was ready to fly across the country and help this little dog.”
Spatucci said he would even be interested in helping her out in a more tangible way, either by having a member of his family adopt her or by adopting her himself.
“I’ll drive across the country to bring her to Lake Tahoe, or I’ll do whatever it takes to help her find a good family,” he said.
During the press conference, Hevner said it would likely take months, if not longer, for Nova to recover enough for her to be ready for adoption, but at least she’s already got one family interested.
Anyone with information about what happened to Nova is encouraged to contact the SPCA at the above number, or Pittston officers at 570-654-2425.