PITTSBURGH (AP) - A defense attorney says a Pittsburgh woman charged with animal cruelty for allegedly starving dozens of cats and kittens tried to care for the animals but the situation “just got away from her.”
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (https://bit.ly/1NvNTH9 ) reports 42-year-old Heather Risko surrendered Monday.
Police say 39 starving cats and 11 dead kittens were removed from her home over three days earlier this month.
Defense attorney Phil DiLucente says the woman meant to care for the animals and didn’t mean to hurt them.
Neighbors say the cats had lived alone in the home since Easter and DiLucente says Risko moved in shortly before the cats were removed.
Risko is being charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty for each of the dead cats, and summary animal cruelty citations for the others.
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