BLOOMINGDALE, Ga. (WTOC) – A woman in Bloomingdale is facing charges for allegedly leaving 12 dogs at her home alone for weeks, nine of them died.
The miraculous story of the three surviving dogs and the hope that they can have new homes is what keeps humane enforcement officers in Effingham County optimistic.
130 Pine Road in Bloomingdale appears normal from the outside but inside were three dogs that survived horrendous conditions detailed in an Effingham County Sheriff’s Office report. Nine other dogs starved to death after being abandoned at the home for weeks.
As for the person deputies believe is responsible, 40-year-old Sarah Gonzales was arrested back in February. She’s facing three counts of cruelty to animals, nine counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, reckless conduct, and obstruction of law enforcement officers.
She was indicted last week and is due in court on Thursday. She still has no bond.
Animal control officers appalled by conditions they walked into. Feces, trash, and debris lining the inside of the home.
“Inside the living room, it was disgusting. I mean, when you open the door to the house, just the odor of feces, urine, just to the point to where it burns your lungs,” said Sgt. Leslie Cash with the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office Humane Enforcement.
What started as a call for a dog running loose, turned into much more when deputies saw that dogs had chewed through the siding of the home to escape. Once they got inside, that’s when humane enforcement said things took a turn.
“We found that there were at least two adult dogs that were deceased in the living room. Also, there were seven puppies in the house, along with those two adult dogs, that were deceased,” said Sgt. Cash. “It was heartbreaking having to recover those dogs and one was dismembered, I’m sure, in the process of the dogs surviving inside that residence. One person has to hold a trash bag open while the other officer puts the parts of a dog into a bag. Yeah, I mean, that’s pretty tough to deal with for anybody.”
While she waits at the Effingham County Jail, the three surviving puppies are alive and well at the county’s animal shelter.
“We want them to be rescued or taken somewhere where they can find new homes,” said Sgt. Cash.
Hoping someone can eventually give them a second chance at life after a horrifying start.
We will provide any updates on these dogs, and on Gonzales as more information becomes available.
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