Crime & Safety

Two Pet Ferrets Set on Fire Recovering

A Palmer Township man was charged with animal cruelty for allegedly setting three pet ferrets on fire.

Two pet ferrets allegedly burned by a Palmer Township man are recovering.

The ferrets, named Laverne and Shirley, were not as seriously injured as the third ferret, Rupert, according to veterinarian Ryan Epple. He is owner of Harmony Animal Hospital, a 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital where the ferrets were taken after the Aug. 5 incident, the Easton Express-Times reported.

“I did it … arrest me,” William Dickerson, 63, who has been charged in the case, told police who responded to the scene at his home at 920 Tatamy Road, according to an arrest affidavit. “I lit those … things on fire. I’m not going to deny anything or give you guys a hard time, so just arrest me if that’s what you gotta do.”

All three ferrets suffered third-degree burns, were taken to Harmony Animal Hospital and have a 50 percent chance of survival, the pets’ owner told police.

Dickerson's wife, Cynthia Dickerson, said Wednesday the ferrets belong to her niece, Shannon Cahill, the Express-Times stated.

The couple had been away and asked Cahill to watch their four cats and two dogs, Cynthia Dickerson said. Cahill was still staying at their home with her ferrets when the incident occurred, the story states.

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William Dickerson was charged with three counts of cruelty to animals, two counts of arson and one count each of terroristic threats and criminal mischief. He was arraigned before District Judge Joseph Barner of Lower Nazareth Township and released on $10,000 bail.


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