Felony Animal Cruelty Charges Filed Against Schuylkill County Woman for Dumping Puppies in Dumpster

State Police say an investigation into trash bags discovered behind a Wayne Township restaurant led troopers to a Schuylkill County woman now accused of disposing of multiple dead puppies and abandoning a live newborn dog in a dumpster.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Sylwia Zapolska, 45. She’s facing 10 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, 10 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals, 10 misdemeanor counts of neglecting animals veterinary care, 10 summary counts of transporting animals in a cruel manner, and 10 summary counts of abandoning a dog.

According to an affidavit filed by Trooper David McFarland of State Police-Schuylkill Haven, the case began during the afternoon of Aug. 14, when employees at Benny’s Pizza and Burgers on Route 183 reported that someone had illegally dumped trash bags in the restaurant’s dumpster.

At least one bag appeared to contain a live animal. When troopers arrived, they found multiple black trash bags pulled from the dumpster, some tied shut and others partly open.

Inside one bag, troopers discovered a small black puppy still moving and whimpering. The puppy was rushed to Mountain Shadow Veterinary Hospital for care.

Beside it lay a deceased black dog. As investigators searched through the remaining bags, they found a total of nine deceased puppies and one live one. The affidavit notes the strong odor of decomposition, fecal matter and waste, and describes soiled pads, blankets and a dog bed mixed in with the remains. The materials were also in an advanced state of decay.

Inside the bags, troopers found several shipping items addressed to Sylwia Zapolska of Schuylkill Mountain Road in Schuylkill Haven. These included a brown padded USPS envelope, an off-white package with a shipping label and a packing slip dated Aug. 2, 2025. According to the affidavit, these materials were recovered from the same bags containing the deceased puppies.

Employees later told troopers that a delivery driver had witnessed someone backed up to the dumpster, throwing several black bags with blue tie strings from a silver or gray Ford SUV. One employee said he checked the bags after being alerted and heard a noise coming from inside.

When employees opened one of the bags, they found the live puppy and one deceased puppy. The delivery driver told troopers the person he saw dumping the bags was a smaller-framed individual, roughly 140 to 160 pounds, but he could not determine whether the operator was male or female. He did not see a license plate. When McFarland later showed the driver a photo of a silver/gray Ford Edge, the driver said it resembled the vehicle he had seen at the dumpster.

A veterinarian at Mountain Shadow later examined the surviving puppy. According to the affidavit, the dog was approximately one week old, with its eyes still closed and an empty stomach. The puppy had signs of exposure and mild dehydration but responded quickly once warmed and offered formula. Veterinary staff noted that the puppy was far too young to be separated from its mother or litter.

Troopers began focusing on Zapolska after finding her name on the packages inside the bags.

Later that day, troopers located a silver/gray Ford Edge registered to Zapolska outside a Pottsville home belonging to a man who identified himself as her power of attorney. The man told investigators he had advised Zapolska not to speak with police.

When McFarland asked to confirm her well-being, the man placed a call. The affidavit states that Zapolska briefly answered but refused to discuss the incident. The call was then ended, and troopers were denied permission to speak with her further or search her vehicle.

The Ford Edge was seized and towed to the PSP-Schuylkill Haven barracks. During an initial walk-around, troopers noted a large brown blanket on the front passenger seat that smelled strongly of fecal matter, urine and animal odor. They also documented a distinct Afghan Hound decal on the rear hatch.

The next day, on Aug. 15, troopers executed a search warrant on the vehicle. They photographed the interior and removed several items, including a swab of suspected blood from the trunk, suspected dog hair from the trunk area and a trunk cover panel.

The five deceased puppies were transported to the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System for necropsies. A humane officer assisting the case purchased a DNA test for the surviving puppy; the result came back as 100% Afghan Hound.

Necropsy findings included that four of the puppies were too decomposed for examiners to determine whether they had ever taken a breath. One puppy — labeled “Puppy A” — had partially inflated lungs, indicating it may have been born alive.

The report listed possible causes of death including lack of nutrition and environmental circumstances, but stated that final interpretation depended on the scene and the dogs’ medical histories.

In the following days, troopers conducted interviews with individuals familiar with Zapolska’s background as a breeder.

An Afghan Hound breeder from the Lehigh Valley, who said she had known Zapolska and her husband for 15 years, told investigators she believed the couple had overbred their dogs and estimated they had produced around 50 puppies. She said their dogs were kept inside the home, not in a kennel, and were not routinely crated. She also told troopers that responsible breeders take deceased puppies to veterinarians for proper disposal.

Zapolska’s estranged husband told police that a divorce order earlier in 2025 required him to take custody of four of their dogs, leaving six with Zapolska. He said one of the females was pregnant around the time the couple was trying to sell their home.

Another breeder interviewed by police said it was possible that Zapolska had bred that dog again later in 2025, which would align with the timing of the dumpster incident.

Zapolska’s husband also told troopers that she had training in large-animal veterinary care from Poland and administered many of her dogs’ vaccines herself. He said Zapolska had difficulty dealing with sick puppies and would sometimes direct him to euthanize them because she could not do it. According to the affidavit, he also told troopers that Zapolska had previously disposed of deceased dogs in a dumpster.

Another man interviewed by police, who said he had a long history with Zapolska, her husband and her current associate, made a series of allegations against Zapolska.

He told investigators he believed she had engaged in a romantic relationship with a Dog Law Officer to influence enforcement decisions. He also alleged she was involved in a burglary at his home in New Mexico during which one of his Afghan Hounds was stolen.

According to the affidavit, he told police Zapolska often boasted about committing crimes without being caught and frequently used the phrase “catch me if you can.”

He further claimed she administered veterinary care to her own dogs, acquired medications and vaccines online using a fictitious veterinary license, and obtained fraudulent service-dog certifications to fly with the dogs.

Troopers also contacted the owner of the Schuylkill Mountain Road property where Zapolska had been living. The landlord told investigators that the lease prohibited pets, but a recent inspection by his realtor found two dogs inside. The affidavit states that Zapolska told the realtor she was “dog sitting.” He also told troopers she had asked about installing a fence at the back of the property but did not give a reason.

Investigators also reviewed home-security video from a residence in Cressona. According to the affidavit, footage showed a silver/gray Ford Edge passing by on Aug. 14 at 4:10 p.m., with a single occupant. The video reportedly showed a white dog decal on the lower left trunk area — the same location and design documented on Zapolska’s vehicle. Troopers noted that the timing of the footage coincided with the approximate time of the dumpster incident.

On Aug. 26, troopers again encountered Zapolska after receiving a report of a U-Haul box truck traveling with its rear door partially open and a woman inside the cargo area with dogs. A Trooper located the truck parked at the Schuylkill Mountain Road residence. The rear door was open about a foot and tied so it could not roll up. Zapolska was seated inside, and several dogs were visible.

When the trooper raised the door fully, six dogs of various colors were inside. The affidavit states that the light-colored dogs had enlarged mammary glands consistent with recent breeding or nursing. A large brown blanket was also in the truck, and McFarland noted it matched the blanket found earlier among the trash that held the deceased puppies.

Previous Charges Against Zapolska

Earlier this year, Zapolska was charged with being unable to control two of her dogs on her property after they confronted one of her neighbors on Schuylkill Mountain Rd.

That neighbor reported on June 26 that two long-haired white dogs were growling at him and running loose on his property. This scenario repeated itself several times after the initial call to police.

Two misdemeanor charges of failing to contain the dogs were waived to Schuylkill County Court in September.

That wasn’t the first time Zapolska faced those charges. In fact, according to police, Zapolska faced those accusations at least 90 times in the past, both in Schuylkill and Lehigh counties.

READ MORE:

Schuylkill County Woman Facing a Charge She’s Faced 94 Times in the Past

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