A man from Fayette County has been arrested and is facing over 1,000 charges related to alleged animal cruelty and neglect. 

Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said that John Saxberg, 57, is facing charges in connection with what he called “a suspected illegal kennel operation” in Washington Township.

According to DA Aubele, Saxberg is accused of subjecting numerous animals to “deplorable conditions” and “circumstances constituting torture,” adding that approximately ten animals suffered serious bodily injuries.

Court records show that Saxberg is facing 1,029 criminal charges in total with offenses including aggravated cruelty to animals, cruelty to animals, neglect of animals, penalties related to dog licensing, and violations of vaccine requirements. 

52 of the charges that Saxberg is facing are felonies, according to court records.

Online court paperwork shows that Saxberg was arraigned on Tuesday afternoon and is being held in the Fayette County Prison after bail was posted at $85,000.

A preliminary hearing for Saxberg is scheduled for late next week. 

An Allegheny County park with 200-year-old trees has been added to a growing network of protected and publicly accessible old-growth forests. 

Local leaders announced on Tuesday that Hartwood Acres is now part of the Old-Growth Forest Network, which consists of over 340 forests, though this is Allegheny County’s first. 

The 692-acre property features a Tudor mansion built in 1929, and while about a quarter of the park is maintained, the other 75% is forested. Some of the oldest trees include a black oak that’s over 200 years old, and a sugar maple and red oak that are nearing 200 years old. 

“Hartwood Acres is one of Allegheny County’s greatest natural treasures, and this designation recognizes both the ecological value of these forests and the generations of stewardship that have protected them,” Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said in a press release. “As we work to build an Allegheny County where everyone can thrive, that includes ensuring residents have access to clean air, green spaces, and the opportunity to connect with nature close to home.”

The Old-Growth Forest Network, founded in 2012, aims to create a national network of protected, mature and native forests that are accessible to the public. The goal is to preserve at least one forest in every U.S. county that can sustain a forest. 

“The importance of the preservation of these rare forests cannot be overemphasized,” said Brian Kane, the Mid-Atlantic regional manager with the Old-Growth Forest Network. “As seen at Hartwood Acres, forests perform critical environmental services that benefit communities, such as storing carbon, providing wildlife habitat, and retaining stormwater. OGFN is grateful that Allegheny County values its old-growth forests and will enable its residents and visitors to marvel at these old hardwoods far into the future as they grow even more mature and majestic.”