Woman faces charges after her dogs terrorized community

SUGARLOAF TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A Luzerne County woman facing charges after police say two of her dogs killed other animals not just once but several times, including more than two dozen deer.

28/22 News spoke with the dog’s owner and the owners of the animals who were mauled.

The owner of the dogs tell 28/22 News they were euthanized on Wednesday after a deadly attack on a cat.

Police say it’s not the first time the dogs have killed another animal. The deadly attacks first happened at a deer farm last year.

We want to warn you these images may be disturbing to some viewers.

These dead deer were the result of several deadly attacks over the last year or so by two dogs who police deemed dangerous.

“There was blood all over the fence. When you go into the raceway there were fawns drug into the raceway ripped apart. You could see does laying that had there necks snapped in multiple of the four pens,” said Cassandra Book the daughter of Deer Farm Owner.

According to police reports on june 29, 2023 these two husky mix dogs inflicted injury and death on domestic farm raised deer at garth book farm in sugarloaf.

Book says 26 deer died from the attacks, which included three breeder bucks and seven doe.
The ones who survived, are still suffering from their injuries.

But the attacks didn’t end there. Just a week ago, on July 19, police say the same two dogs attacked and killed a cat down the road from the book farm.

John Zola, owner of the cat says he was spending time with his grand daughter when they came outside and saw the attack.

“We went around the corner and then here comes the dogs. Two large dogs and the cat was sleeping they went up behind it. They flipped it up in the air a couple of times and they both barred down on it just killed it and took off,” stated Zola.

Records show after the second offense police say the owner of the dogs, Mirian Priebe-Florimon, still failed to confine them.

Now, she is facing six counts of misdemeanor charges.

In the attack against the cat, the police report claims neither of the dogs were wearing muzzles.

According to the state dog law it is unlawful for an “owner or keeper of a dangerous dog to permit the dog to be outside the proper enclosure unless the dog is muzzled or leashed.”

She told me the dogs have never been aggressive and she’s sorry for the attacks.

“I mean sorry they killed the other animals because I love the animal but I know me no guilty,” added Priebe-Florimon

The victims now wondering why so many attacks happened before something more was done to stop it.

“I like to see the people held responsible for their failures,” says Zola.

And worried for how long it will take to recoup from the loss they suffered.

“Essentially it’s 25%. It takes three years for my dad to make that money back. The amount of times these dogs were able to be let off her property and just cause havoc in the community and nothing could be done,” explained Book.

28/22 News has reached out the Luzerne County dog warden regarding the attacks but have not yet heard back.

Pennsylvania has more than 600 dangerous dogs according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and both Book and Zola are hoping what happened to them doesn’t happens to others.

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