Exotic animals rescued from basement after anonymous tip

BENTLEYVILLE, Pa. — A Washington County home was raided Wednesday night. Inside, officials say they found 11 animals, including three exotic, all starving.

Channel 11 has learned the owner will be charged. Humane officers raided the home on Spring Street in Bentleyville after an anonymous tip that exotic animals were being kept inside the basement.

Humane officers found three wolf hybrids and eight other dogs, all extremely malnourished.

“In my opinion, the wolf hybrids and other animals are emaciated,” said Officer Richard Joyce, a wildlife conservation officer. “There was no water for the any of the animals downstairs where they were caged up.”

Also disturbing, the anonymous caller said there is video evidence of extreme abuse to the dogs happening inside this home.

“Waterboarding ... what they meant by that is pushing the dog's head underwater,” said Bentleyville Mayor Thomas Brown.

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The game commission tells Channel 11 charges will be filed against the owner, Frederick Framelli, who stayed in the backyard, watching as all of the animals were rescued.

Sources say waterboarding materials is something they included in their search warrant, but that accusation is still under investigation.

For now, the charges against Framelli will be owning illegal exotic animals.

“Any wolf hybrid is illegal in Pennsylvania under Title 34 and that's why we were called in,” Joyce said.

Game commission officers say these wolf hybrids will not be euthanized, which we know is a concern many of our viewers have expressed.

The wolf hybrid animals were transported to the Wolf Sanctuary of Pennsylvania where they will be cared for specialists and "live out their lives in peace."

Cox Media Group