A Hueytown man is in jail after authorities found malnourished dogs that had been left at an abandoned home in Lipscomb.
The Lipscomb Police Department received a call about 4:45 p.m. Thursday from the Greater Birmingham Humane Society for help in rescuing dogs from the burned-out house in the 6200 block of Fifth Street.
Once on scene, officers and animal control officials determined no one lived in the home and it was deemed uninhabitable because of a previous fire.
Lipscomb Interim Police Chief Jatavius Merritt said officers entered the house and found the malnourished dogs in a makeshift animal cage. Two adults and a puppy were alive, and another puppy was dead.
A neighbor told police that a man had put the dogs in the house about two weeks ago and had been randomly stopping by to feed them.
The Lipscomb Police Department received a call about 4:45 p.m. Thursday from the Greater Birmingham Humane Society for help in rescuing dogs from a burned-out house in the 6200 block of Fifth Street.(Contributed)
While police were still at the house, Merritt said, Keyel Speights, of Hueytown, showed up and claimed ownership of the dogs.
After being questioned, Speights was arrested on animal cruelty charges. He is being held in the Lipscomb City Jail.
“I find it utterly ridiculous to drop off innocent animals in an abandon home, a burned home at that, especially in these freezing temperatures,” Merritt said, “and to randomly stop by and feed them at your convenience is a disgrace.”
“Intentional or reckless cruelty to animals will not be tolerated in this city,’’ he said. “Dogs can think, they can feel pain and they can love. We must be the voice for them.”
Police officials thanked GBHS for their quick response in rescuing the living dogs.
Merritt said the investigation is ongoing.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
