Man who stabbed dog given prison term after guilty plea

A Palmerton man was sentenced to a county prison term on Monday in Carbon County court after admitting he stabbed a pit bull.

Trevor M. Strohl, 35, pleaded to one count each of cruelty to animals and possession of an instrument of crime. In exchange for the plea, a charge of aggravated cruelty to animals was dropped in a plea bargain with the district attorney’s office.

Strohl was arrested on Feb. 2 by Palmerton police.

The police report stated at 11:21 a.m. Feb. 2, officer Timothy Kromer, along with patrolmen Adam Shimer and Shawn Leadbetter, were dispatched to the 200 block of Lehigh Avenue for a report that Strohl had stabbed a dog with a knife inside the residence and “was flipping out.”

Officers knocked on the door and saw a man attempting to put direct pressure on the dog’s wound. The dog, a gray pit bull, had a stab wound to the back of its neck and it was bleeding profusely.

A woman inside the residence said that Strohl had fled. The man said that the dog’s owner was not at home.

Leadbetter rendered aid to the dog while Kromer obtained an address for the nearest emergency animal hospital.

Leadbetter transported the dog to Valley Central Animal Hospital in Whitehall, as Kromer began to search the area for Strohl.

Strohl was taken into custody in the 300 block of Alley E. Officers recovered a black knife in a sheath and a hypodermic needle which Strohl said was used for injecting heroin.

Kromer also saw that Strohl had blood on his hands, which he later said was from the dog.

Strohl was observed to be under the influence of narcotics, as he was lethargic, slow to comprehend and answer questions, and appeared to be disoriented.

He was taken to the police station.

The woman told police she heard the dog crying and ran into the room and saw Strohl on top of the dog. He then released the dog and they saw that it was bleeding.

The woman said she yelled at Strohl, asking what he did, and he said, “I thought someone told me to kill the dog.”

The woman said she began yelling and Strohl ran away.

Strohl has been in prison since his arrest on the charges.

He said he is seeking inpatient treatment for a drug addiction problem.

On the instrument of crime charge Matika sentenced him to serve nine to 23 months in prison and six to 23 months on the cruelty charge, with the terms running concurrently. He was given credit for 163 days already served.

He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, render 75 hours of community service when paroled, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole.

The dog has since recovered from the stabbing.