New Paris man accused of neglecting dog, which ate styrofoam, 'other materials' to survive

Mar. 22—NEW PARIS, Pa. — A Bedford County man faces animal cruelty charges, accused of locking his German Shepherd in a filthy basement for days without food, state police said.

State police found "Nero" inside a "ravaged" basement filled with broken glass and animal waste — and an examination showed the dog had been eating styrofoam and other unnatural materials to survive, according to Trooper Avery Deskevich.

"Nero's teeth were ground down as if he had been chewing rocks," Deskevich wrote in an affidavit filed Wednesday, saying the herding dog was down to an "emaciated" 65 pounds.

Thad Knisely, 38, of New Paris, faces three misdemeanor neglect charges — accused of failing to provide adequate nourishment, shelter and veterinary care for the dog.

He is also accused of cruelty to animals — of knowingly abandoning the German Shepherd "for multiple days at a time," state police said.

An attorney was not listed for Knisely.

Bedford County Humane Society shelter manager Cathy Ramsey said Nero was severely underweight and had untreated sores on his body when law enforcement officials brought him to the shelter for care in February.

The Humane Society put the dog on a diet that fed him four times a day and gave him special supplements to enable him to gain weight, Ramsey said.

She described it as a tragic situation — but one with a brighter ending.

A family adopted Nero and recently sent a photo of him relaxing at home, Ramsey said.

"He's in a wonderful home now and on his way to recovery," she said.