NORRISTOWN — A Pottstown man is prohibited from owning animals and must serve a probationary period on charges he neglected his 6-month-old puppy by failing to get him necessary veterinary care for a fractured hind leg, which ultimately had to be amputated.
Valencie A. Watt, 40, of the 400 block of Walnut Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to one year of probation and 50 hours of community service after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of neglect of animals in connection with incidents that occurred between August and October 2023.
Judge Wendy G. Rothstein, who accepted a plea agreement in the case, said Watt is prohibited from owning or possessing animals while under court supervision.
The investigation began on Sept. 11, 2023, when a humane society police officer with the Montgomery County SPCA received information from a veterinarian at the Pottsgrove Animal Hospital regarding a Rottweiler/Pit Bull mix puppy that was hospitalized at the facility.
The veterinarian reported that Watt brought the 6-month-old puppy named Silgo to the hospital on Aug. 27, 2023, after the dog reportedly was struck by a car, according to a criminal complaint filed by Pottstown Detective Michael G. Glauner and SPCA Humane Society Police Officer Tracie Graham.
“Radiographs were taken and revealed a fracture of the right hind leg,” Glauner and Graham alleged, adding the veterinarian wanted to hospitalize the dog and perform surgery on Aug. 29 to repair the fracture.
Watt allegedly refused to leave the puppy at the hospital and stated he would keep the puppy at home on pain medication and return to the hospital on Aug. 29 for the surgery. Watt failed to return on Aug. 29 for the scheduled appointment and veterinary staff tried to reach him by phone but were unable to do so, authorities alleged.
On Sept. 9, a woman showed up at the hospital with a stray puppy that she reported finding in an alley behind the 400 block of Beech Street.
“The puppy was lethargic, weak and was admitted to the hospital,” Glauner and Graham wrote in the arrest affidavit, adding veterinary staff soon recognized the puppy as Silgo. “Radiographs were taken confirming the leg fracture of the right hind leg.”
When doctors contacted Watt to inform him that Silgo had been brought to the hospital Watt allegedly responded, “Oh, did he get out again?” and ended the call by stating he’d call the veterinarian back but never did, according to the arrest affidavit.
The radiographs taken on Sept. 9 revealed that Silgo was still suffering from the untreated leg fracture.
“In addition, Silgo also tested positive for the (canine parvovirus), which is a highly contagious, often deadly virus for unvaccinated dogs that requires hospitalization, medication and supportive care treatment,” Glauner and Graham alleged, adding the veterinarian stated that Silgo had to be treated for the virus and stabilized before the leg fracture surgery could be performed.
The veterinary staff treated Silgo for the virus until Sept. 20 and opined that they were concerned that the dog’s leg may not be able to be surgically corrected due to the amount of time that had passed since the initial fracture, according to court papers.
On Sept. 20, SPCA officials took custody of the dog and transported him to the SPCA shelter in Perkiomenville and officials also attempted to contact Watt, court papers indicate.
On Sept. 21, a licensed veterinarian with the SPCA agreed with previous assessments that surgical intervention was no longer an option for Silgo’s fractured leg and recommended exercise to promote use of the limb. However, the limb did not become functional and on Oct. 9 veterinarians performed “a right mid-femoral amputation on Silgo,” according to court documents.
With the charges, authorities alleged Watt failed to provide necessary veterinary care for Silgo.
Watt also is responsible for paying $2,279 in restitution to cover veterinary costs associated with the care of Silgo.
A more serious felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals was dismissed against Watt as part of the plea agreement.
