Delaware County man says he regrets trying to poison his neighbor's dogs

BROOMALL, Pa. (WPVI) -- A Delaware County man accused of trying to silence his neighbor's dogs with poisonous meatballs is speaking out.

Mark Nugent, 63, is on surveillance video throwing meatballs laced with rat poison into his neighbor's yard in Broomall.

"I am disgusted. I totally regret what I did. It was stupid. Every day I am trying to wake up from this nightmare that happened," said Nugent.

Nugent posted bail after he was arrested and admitted to trying to poison Hoagie and Sushi.

He says he called police multiple times to complain about the dogs.

"Every time someone walks by, the dog goes berserk," Nugent said.

The dogs' owner, Joshua Hunter, says two weeks before this incident, his family found hundreds of pieces of chocolate scattered across their yard. Chocolate can be fatal for dogs.

"No one's ever come to my door, I never got a letter of apology after this happened - we're just floored from this. I hope justice is served, I really do, and I think the whole neighborhood would like to see that also," said Hunter.

Nugent faces a number of charges, including cruelty to animals.

Since video of the incident circulated, he says he has received death threats. He wants to bring attention to a condition he has called misophonia.

Jaime Zuckerman, a Clinical Psychologist in Ardmore, said misophonia is a neurological disorder that is triggered by certain noises, such as breathing, or repetitive noises that can't be controlled.

"What happens is, these noises and the repetitive nature of these noises can cause an intense amount of internal discomfort in somebody. An intense amount of anxiety and anger, and sometimes even disgust," said Jaime Zuckerman, a Clinical Psychologist in Ardmore, Pa.

Hunter, who suffers from ALS, says since the two incidents his children are scared to be outside.

"Nothing is peaceful now for us living here," Hunter says.