Misdemeanor charges have been filed against two Chariton County residents after the sheriff’s office found three dogs malnourished and being kept in poor conditions, according to court documents.
The Chariton County Sheriff’s Office said a neighbor reported a dog in the backyard that had been tangled in a chain for three or four days at an address in Keytesville.
The neighbor became concerned after hearing the dog crying throughout the night over several nights, according to court documents.
The sheriff’s office dispatched a deputy on Sunday. The deputy could hear dogs barking inside the residence and knocked several times at the front door, but no one responded, according to court documents.
The deputy went around the house and reportedly found a malnourished German shepherd-type dog in the backyard chained to the roof of a shed.
According to the sheriff’s office, the chain was tightly twisted around a metal pole, restricting the dog’s movement to about one foot. Upon closer inspection, the deputy discovered the chain had been intentionally shortened by being looped twice through the collar’s eyelet.
The deputy untangled the chain and filled a 5-gallon bucket with water, and the dog drank about 5 inches of water, according to court documents.
The deputy found a utility shut-off notice, dated Friday, on the front door and made forced entry into the home over concern for the animals’ wellbeing, according to court documents.
The deputy found an emaciated, elderly dog lying on a pile of soiled clothing and a small dog confined to a metal crate without food or water, according to a Facebook post. Both dogs appeared extremely malnourished and lethargic, court documents state.
The deputy believed the interior of the home would have become dangerously hot over the past several days if it were without power, citing the utility shut-off notice in court documents.
The deputy released the dachshund from the cage, and it immediately ran to a water bowl to try and drink, according to court documents. The pit bull was unable to stand, according to court documents.
Saving Dogs Rescue Center was contacted and came to assist with removing the three dogs, according to the sheriff’s office.
A veterinarian advised that the animals had likely been without proper care for six months, according to court documents.
The pit bull was euthanized after rescue, and court documents said its lungs were filled with fluid and the dog was in congestive heart failure.
“Had she been properly cared for, she may have survived,” the deputy wrote in court documents.
Arrest warrants were issued Monday for two residents of the home.
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