POLK COUNTY, Fla. — On May 30, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said they arrested two men on multiple counts of animal neglect after discovering six dogs living in awful conditions inside a home that had no power or ventilation.
Deputies said when they arrived at the scene, they were unable to contact anyone at the residence but could hear multiple dogs inside. The temperature inside the home was measured at 107 degrees Fahrenheit. The dogs were visibly panting, and the interior of the house was littered with trash, feces, and urine, according to PCSO.
In one of the bedrooms, deputies said they found trash piled up to the ceiling, making it difficult to navigate through the house, forcing them to climb over items and through excrement to move around. Deputies said when they found the dogs, their temperatures reached as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
During the investigation, 29-year-old Alan Alderman and 65-year-old Thornton Arnold arrived at the property where they claimed only two of the dogs belonged to them, stating that three belonged to Alderman’s girlfriend, who is currently in jail, and they were unaware of the existence of the sixth dog.
Both men were arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail. All dogs were taken to Polk County Animal Control for medical evaluation and treatment.
Deputiesa said Alderman and Arnold were both charged with six counts of animal neglect, a first degree misdemeanor.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
