Hearing for Washington County official accused of animal cruelty moved to courthouse

By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
The preliminary hearing for Washington County’s controller, who is charged with felony aggravated cruelty to animals, was canceled Tuesday and transferred to Central Court.
Controller April Sloane’s hearing set for yesterday will be held 1 p.m. Jan. 16 in Central Court located inside the Washington County Courthouse. Sloane remains free on $150,000 bond after her Dec. 12 arrest at her county office.
Sloane had two other pets that were removed from her home and she’s been ordered to report for a mental health assessment and to follow recommended treatment.
Sloane is accused of — and allegedly confessed to — neglecting her dog, Thor, until it died. Washington Humane Society Officer Gretchen Grasser reported the neglect to the North Strabane Township Police Department Dec. 5 to start an investigation.
Police received Thor’s necropsy report from PA Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System, which states the cause of death is severe emaciation.
Animal Victory, a website that organizes petitions that benefit animals, has organized a petition that seeks to “Punish Washington County Controller who starved her adopted dog to death.” The petition had more than 16,400 signatures toward its goal of 20,000.
The day after her arrest last week, Washington County commissioners Chair Diana Irey Vaughan, Vice Chair Larry Maggi and Nick Sherman joined commissioner-elect Electra Janis, county Treasurer Tom Flickinger, Prothonotary Laura Hough and Recorder of Deeds Carrie Perrell in asking Sloane to resign her elected position. Sloane has not publicly responded to that request.

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