Woman gets $28,000 animal cruelty bill

GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) -- A woman who was convicted of animal cruelty must reimburse the shelters that cared for the dozens of sick animals rescued from her farm, a judge ruled.
Westmoreland County Judge Richard McCormick Jr. this week ordered Nancy L. Cline, 55, to pay more than $28,000 in restitution to Action of Animals in Derry Township, Animal Friends in Pittsburgh and OohMahNee Farm in Mt. Pleasant.
Humane officers have said they found more than 100 dead animals in various stages of decay after searching her 100-acre family farm in Derry Township on March 21, 2000. Another 249 emaciated sheep and lambs, chickens, goats, dogs, cats and horses were confiscated and treated for malnutrition and disease.
The animals were taken to various agencies for treatment.
Cline was convicted in February of 11 counts of cruelty to animals and sentenced to almost three years of probation.
Cline's attorney, Thomas Panian, did not immediately return a phone call to comment Saturday.