A Schuylkill County man is facing allegations that he failed to provide prescribed medication to his dog, leaving the animal near death until a neighbor and a veterinarian intervened.
Edward Conapitski Jr., 27, of Girardville, is accused of neglecting his 4-year-old Pitbull, named Harlem, by failing to administer treatment for severe anemia, police say.
Through their investigation, police say Conapitski first took the dog to River Run Veterinary Hospital in January 2025 for a urinary tract infection and an ear infection, but he did not return for a recommended follow-up appointment.
In March, a neighbor who noticed the dog looked unhealthy convinced Conapitski to take the animal back to the vet, police say. The neighbor, who ultimately paid between $700 and $800 for the veterinary visits, brought the dog to the hospital on March 7. Lab work revealed the dog was anemic and a veterinarian prescribed two medications, Azathioprine and Prednisone.
On March 27, the neighbor brought the dog back to the facility. The veterinarian observed the animal was extremely pale, weak, and dying, stating the dog needed an immediate blood transfusion, police report.
The veterinarian reportedly told police the dog’s worsening condition was due to Conapitski not administering the prescribed medication. The neighbor subsequently checked the medication at Conapitski’s residence, discovering one bottle was completely full and the other was about three-quarters full, police say.
The vet prepared an owner relinquishment form but Conapitski refused to surrender the dog when approached with it by State Police.
Because the dog required life-sustaining care, the vet arranged for the animal to be transported to a facility in Hershey and personally covered the $5,500 cost of treatment, police say. The dog was reported to be recovering a few days later.
The Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office was contacted regarding legal avenues to remove the dog from Conapitski’s custody. Police say multiple attempts to interview Conapitski have been met with negative results.
On Wednesday, police filed a misdemeanor animal neglect charge against Conapitski in District Court.
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