RICHMOND, Ind. — Twenty dogs in malnourished conditions. Four to five inches of feces that the dogs were standing on. Old dog food bags covered in feces. Large tubs contaminated with water and urine. A repulsive smell that made it difficult to breathe.
These are just a handful of the conditions officers from the Richmond Police Department reported to have witnessed when they entered the home of a Richmond couple.
On Oct. 25, 2022, animal control officers responded to a call in the 100 block of NW E Street in Richmond. It had been reported that there was a foul smell coming from the residence. One of the owners of the dog stated that she did not want officers to enter the house, as “…the dogs were aggressive and would bite [them],” a Richmond officer said.
According to court documents, after obtaining a search warrant, the investigation resulted in finding 20 dogs in poor condition. They were kept in a house with significant health concerns.
Now, the two owners of the dogs—a 35-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman—are facing 20 Class A misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.
“The accumulation of clutter, refuse and animal waste (including urine and feces) can pose significant health concerns for the animals kept inside the home,” an officer wrote. “These concerns include health risks secondary to exposure to the unmanaged feces and urine in the environment as well as injury/trauma secondary to exposure to debris and hazards in the home.”
The dogs have since been transported to the New Castle Humane Society, but not without some trouble. Court documents note that one of the dogs bit an officer through their gloves, another bit an officer on the right calf of their hazmat suit and several dogs attacked another dog as it was secured by officers.
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