Police activity Credit: Geralt / Pixabay.com
A Worcester Township couple who own an animal rescue sanctuary have been charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty and neglect, according to court documents.
Fourteen felony and misdemeanor charges filed Wednesday accused Erin Wiggle, 46, and Michael Wiggle, 52, of aggravated cruelty to animals in the form of torture and neglect of animals, according to court documents, failing to provide food, water and veterinary care to the farm animals in their care.
A fire broke out in late May at the House of Wiggle Goats farm, located along the 2100 block of Weber Road, in Worcester Township, where some 40 farm animals either died or were reported missing, per media reports.
An online fundraising campaign had more than 1,100 contributors donate $68,237 of a $100,000 goal, according to the GoFundMe page benefiting the Wiggles.
Humane society police officers dispatched to the scene on May 30 following the blaze witnessed dozens of farm animals who were “injured, skinny and eating deceased animal remains,” according to court documents. “These conditions were not consistent with conditions resulting from a fire.”
An officer noted open and closed abscesses on goats at the property, with other pigs and goats appearing to be “visibly underweight,” according to court documents.
The animals did have “access to a large grassed property and stream that ran through the property,” according to court documents. An officer saw a “hay basket,” but the “structure appeared empty without any hay in it.”
The investigation included interviews with the Wiggles, as well as veterinarians and previous owners of the animals.
“Mr. Wiggle stated to Lt. Nields that he couldn’t believe that she thought the animals being seized were underweight and advised her that he wanted a public apology from her following their visit with the vet,” the criminal complaint stated. “Mr. Wiggle advised they would not be surrendering the three goats and two pigs, stating that they were a nonprofit rescue and it would be going against their mission to surrender them.”
The Wiggles were told about “possible restitution for the cost of their care,” per court documents, to which they “stated would not be a problem and that they would pay for their care with PSPCA.”
The goats and pigs were later transported to the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They underwent “forensic examinations” at the Philadelphia-based facility that resulted in statures ranging from emaciated to thin, as well as goats experiencing a decrease in muscling, a high parasitic load, a sunken rumen, and needing medication and a nutrition plan. Some goats were missing all their incisors while others only had three.
The pigs had an “extremely thin body condition,” and were experiencing several conditions, including internal parasites and mild hypothermia.
The Wiggles had not been arrested or arraigned as of Friday morning, according to officials.
