The Pike County employee convicted of animal cruelty for binding his dog’s legs and mouth with duct tape has been fired from his $32,350-a-year job.
“We have been bombarded,” Pike County Commissioner Karl Wagner said of the public outcry of complaints over the continued employment of Russell Seese, 27, of Greentown.
On March 1, a Pennsylvania Humane Society police officer was called to Seese’s home by a state trooper.
Seese admitted to police that he had tortured his dog Lexi, a tan, female Labrador-pitbull mix.
On Feb. 28, Seese used duct tape to bind the dog’s front legs and back legs, and also taped shut the dog’s muzzle
He then placed her in an old dirty chicken coop, still bound, with no food or water. The dog suffered traumatic injuries, and Seese did not attempt to get veterinarian care, according to a criminal complaint.
Seese was sentenced to 48 hours to 12 months in December to the Pike County Correctional Facility and ordered to pay $500, according to the Pike County District Attorney’s office. He has already been released from prison. It is unclear how many days he served. Seese could not be reached for comment.
Seese had been a resource conservationist at the Pike County Conservation District, hired by Pike County in June 2011.
An online petition started Sunday called for the county to fire Seese from his job.
In less than 24 hours, the petition, at http://bit.ly/19Czwu9, had 225 signatures.
On Monday, Pike County Commissioners sent a letter to Seese indicating that due to the conviction, his employment was terminated effective Monday, Wagner said.
It was Wagner’s understanding that Seese had received the letter Monday. He could not discuss the matter further because it is a personnel issue.
Lexi has been moved to Divine Destiny Rescue Inc. near Pittsburgh, where she has gained weight and is under the care of trainer and behaviorist Nick Ferraro.