Hazleton Man Faces Animal Cruelty, Document Falsification Charges

A Hazleton man is facing animal cruelty and other charges after police allege two dogs were kept in a padlocked attic in Kelayres without proper ventilation, food or water. According to court documents filed by Kline Township Police, 28-year-old Bryan Martin Batista contacted police on August 12, 2026, to report that his former girlfriend had taken his dogs from his residence on Third Street.…