Officials in Pennsylvania announced a horrific case of animal cruelty, which has left a kitten in recovery. According to reports, 56-year-old Richard Swangler, a Pennsylvania man, called police to his residence on March 3, 2024. After arriving at the residence in West Hempfield Township, Swangler reported seeing a wild black jaguar.
According to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, Swangler had scratch and bite marks on his arm. However, they didn’t see any wild animals, as he claimed. Instead, police found a kitten with severe facial injuries. According to police reports, Swangler skinned off parts of the kitten’s face, thinking it was a jaguar.
Following the incident, the Organization for Responsible Care of Animals (ORCA) cares for the 6-month-old cat named Nakia. The organization revealed that the Pennsylvania man “completely degloved the kitten’s face down to the bone.”
“We are unsure of how or why this man was able to cause such damage to Nakia’s face,” ORCA said. However, the rescue organization noted that veterinarians could repair Nakia’s chin. Also, ORCA asserted that they expect Nakia to make a full recovery.
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While it is unclear whether Swangler owned the kitten, authorities have taken him into custody. According to reports, the Pennsylvania man was on the wanted list for outstanding probation violations. Following his arrest, police charged him with a felony count of aggravated animal cruelty.
Although an investigation into the case is ongoing, Swangler is at the Lancaster County Prison on $15,000 bail. According to ORCA, Nakia will fully recover soon. However, the organization said the kitten is not yet ready for adoption.
“She has made everyone quickly fall in love with her because of her sweet personality,” the organization said. “She has gotten all the pets and love she deserves!” Nakia’s incident with Swangler isn’t the first animal cruelty case in recent months.
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In January 2024, an Oregon woman faced an animal abuse charge after applying a cleaning agent to her pet cat. As a result, the woman temporarily dyed him hot pink in early December 2023. According to arrest documents, the woman took the dyed kitten to a Portland-based animal hospital on December 12, 2023.
Upon arrival, the kitten was “severely hypoglycemic, hypothermic, in shock, and barely responsive.” In addition, the kitten appeared dyed hot pink, with the color all over its body and face. The 39-year-old woman told the pet clinic that she cleaned the kitten with various household cleaning agents.
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Also, she said she rubbed him in alcohol because the tiny feline suffered from diarrhea. According to veterinarians, the alcohol that she soaked the cat in caused the kitten’s body temperature to drop. Also, it made the cat hypothermic. However, the woman didn’t understand that the chemicals were toxic to the kitten.
Since the vet hospital had no legal authority to take the kitten away from her, they reported the incident. The hospital reported the issue to the Oregon Humane Society, who contacted the woman. Afterward, police detained the woman at the Multnomah County Detention Center.
While an investigation into Swangler’s case is ongoing, the Pennsylvania man remains at the Lancaster County Prison.
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