A Bucks County man residing in West Hempfield Township for the past several months was charged Tuesday with a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals regarding an incident in the 100 block of W. Broad Street on March 3, 2024.

Richard Swangler, 56 of Bristol, stands accused of causing severe facial injuries to a small black cat including a traumatic complete degloving of the lower chin/mandible.

The West Hempfield Township Police Department were dispatched to the residence in the early morning hours of March 3, 2024, for a man reporting a wild animal, which he believed to be a jaguar, inside his home.

Responding officers found Swangler inside the home with scratch and bite marks on his arms but no wild animal was located.

Further search of the home revealed the injured cat, who was transported to PETS emergency center where surgical care was given.

Organization for Responsible Care of Animals (ORCA) transported the cat and is now monitoring recovery. The cat is expected to make a full recovery.

Swangler was taken into custody for outstanding probation violation warrants and the aggravated animal cruelty charge was filed before Magisterial District Judge Miles Bixler.

Swangler was arraigned on the charges and bail was set at $15,000. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 12, 2023, at 9 a.m. before MDJ Bixler.

Swangler remains in Lancaster County Prison.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

West Hempfield Township Police Officer Karl Hartranft filed charges.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc.