WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. -- It's an abuse case where animal welfare was stronger than family connections. Washington County Humane Society agent Susanne Lewis said she's never seen anything like it.

"Never; I've never had a case where a family member would be willing to testify," Lewis said.

But it happened when a Roscoe woman reported her brother's girlfriend to police after discovering one of the couple's Great Danes dead.

Lewis said, "(It) looks like the dog was on chain, walked up steps of porch and got tangled up. And (it) walked off end of porch and hung there."

Meanwhile, an 8-month-old Great Dane puppy was starving in the basement of Shannon Moorehead's Coal Center home.

Lewis filed charges and brought the case to the Washington County courthouse. In an unprecedented move, a judge ordered the defendant to spend 90 days in jail.

Western Pennsylvania Humane Society Director Clay Criswell said, "We're hoping that if this is appealed and that it is upheld, to my knowledge, (it) would be precedent for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."

Moorehead is expected to return to the courthouse to appeal the sentence.

The woman who turned her in said she just wishes she had gotten to the dogs earlier.