The Lower Saucon Township Police Department announced Tuesday that it’s issued a warrant for the arrest of a Sellersville man who is charged in an animal cruelty case.
Police said in a Crimewatch post that Paul J. Hancharik Jr., 52, on a Misdemeanor 2 charge of Cruelty to an Animal and a Misdemeanor 3 charge of Neglect of an Animal.
The investigation that would lead to charges against Hancharik began in the 3800 block of Beeline Drive in early August, when officers were called there by a resident who had observed a stray dog in the vicinity.
The dog was taken to a local veterinary hospital where it was nursed back to health, before later being put up for adoption at Peaceable Kingdom, a local animal shelter, police said.
Lower Saucon Police reiterated Tuesday that they received assistance from the Pennridge Regional Police Department in contacting Hancharik, who allegedly told them he’d taken his dog to an “unknown vet” in either Lower Saucon Township or Upper Saucon Township because it was “terminally ill.”
“(Hancharik) stated he left the dog at (the) unknown veterinary hospital…and assumed it had passed away,” police said in September. Police noted at the time that they “checked (with) several local veterinary hospitals and located no records for the animal.”
The charges against Hancharik have been filed in Northampton County District Court 03-2-04 in Lower Saucon Township.
Hancharik is described as white, five feet, 11 inches tall and weighing 250 pounds, with white hair and blue eyes. Click here to view a photo of him on the Lower Saucon Township Police Department’s Crimewatch page.
Anyone who sees Hancharik or knows of his whereabouts should contact Lower Saucon Police at 610-759-2200.
