Arrest warrants on felony animal cruelty and neglect charges are being sought in an Arkansas-side case involving four starving dogs and a dead goat.
Two seemingly neglected dogs visible in the yard prompted animal control officers to execute a search and seizure warrant at 309 Laurel St. on Friday afternoon,
Animal Services Director Charles Lokey said.
Multiple attempts by officers to make contact with the home's residents have failed. However, someone removed notices asking the residents to contact Animal Services that were repeatedly posted at the house last week.
Officers identified the home's residents by evidence inside and information from neighbors. As of Monday afternoon, a judge had not yet signed arrest warrants for them, so Animal Services did not release their names.
Benjamin Miller, a Fort Worth, Texas, real estate investor, owns the house, which he operates as a rental property. Miller said he has asked the current resident to move out, and he plans to either repair the house and re-rent it or demolish it and build a new house on the property.
A man Miller identified as one of the home's residents spoke to the Gazette but gave only his first name, Lake. All the animals were already hurt or sick when he took them in, he said; the goat had been struck by a car, and the wounded dog had been shot with a pellet gun.
Lake said he had no contact with Animal Services until Friday afternoon when he was informed the animals had been seized, and notices posted at the house may have been in his roommate's name. He is gathering letters from witnesses to back up his story and will try today to get the dogs back, he said.
Officers rescued the two dogs outside and entered the house, which Lokey called "a little house of hell" in disheveled condition, with dog feces, garbage and children's toys on the floor. The house had no electric service and was completely closed, with no ventilation.
Inside they found a young, male goat unable to stand, with no food or water available, "wallowing in its own feces and urine," according to Lokey's incident report.
Hearing more animals behind a padlocked door, officers used bolt cutters to gain entry and found two more starving dogs: a black and white male pit bull and a white and brown female pit bull. The male had a large wound on its right rear leg "covered with a dirty homemade bandage."
The leg wound was infected. All the animals were diagnosed with malnourishment and dehydration and were infested with fleas and parasites. Lokey rated the dogs' condition as a three on a 10-point scale and the goat's as a one.
The goat died under veterinary care Friday night, and its remains are being kept in case a necropsy is needed. The dogs are being treated and are expected to recover.
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