Woman charged after dog, puppies found 'extremely emaciated'
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - An Oklahoma City woman is facing an animal cruelty charge after several dogs were reportedly found severely malnourished and covered in feces.
On Sep. 28, a maintenance person at Meridian Mansions went to repair a massive leak at one of the units.
As he opened the door to the apartment, he reported smelling a "foul odor of feces and urine."
According to the probable cause affidavit, he found an adult pit bull and seven puppies in one large wire crate.
He immediately called Oklahoma City Animal Welfare.
When officers arrived at the scene, they say they found that "each of the dogs [was] covered in their own feces and urine and did not have access to food or water."
The affidavit states that the female pit bull was standing on approximately three inches of packed down feces.
Also, officers noted that the dogs appeared "extremely emaciated" because of the lack of food and water.
Neighbors told authorities that it seemed like the owner, Candy Todd, left the dogs for several days.
The dogs were all taken to Oklahoma City Animal Welfare to receive veterinary care.
According to the report, veterinarians determined that three of the puppies had severe abscesses on their bodies, which were caused by being bitten by their litter mates while crammed in the cages.
When authorities attempted to speak with Todd, she reportedly told them someone else was caring for the dogs before hanging up the phone.
"The amount of feces and urine inside the apartment and inside the cage, indicates that the dogs were left in the apartment unattended for more than a week. The five-month-old puppies were so severely malnourished that they appeared to be three months in age," the affidavit states.
Sadly, one puppy died from a severe infection.
Todd has been charged with one count of cruelty to animals.