Five arrested after 58 dogs, baby found living in filth

TEXAS -- A family of five face child endangerment and animal cruelty charges in a Parker County case in which 58 dogs were seized last week from a home in Springtown and an 18-month-old was found in a crib surrounded by animal waste, the Parker County sheriff said Monday morning.

Nana of the year: Teresa Weldon

Authorities said the five were taken into custody at various time during the weekend and today.

CPS officials did not have custody of the toddler and it was not known who was taking care of the child.

Parker County authorities identified the arrested family members as:



Dirty, filthy pigs

• Teresa Weldon, 48, the grandmother of the toddler and property owner. She was arrested Saturday and faces two charges of animal cruelty and one case of child endangerment. She was released on Mother’s Day after posting $11,500 bail.
• Harry George Weldon, 50, the grandfather. He was taken into custody on Saturday and released on Sunday after posting $2,000 bail. He faces a charge of animal cruelty.
• Amanda Gayle Weldon, 29, of Fort Worth, the child’s mother. She was arrested this weekend while visiting a relative at the Westworth Village Jail. Amanda Weldon who faces a charge of child endangerment was free today after posting bail during the weekend.
• Christopher Brett Weldon, 26, of Aledo, the child’s uncle. He was arrested in Tarrant County during the weekend and faces a charges of animal cruelty and child endangerment. He remained in custody.
• Joseph Wayne Weldon, 23, of Fort Worth, the child’s uncle. He surrendered to Parker County authorities today and was in the Parker County Jail where he faces charges of animal cruelty and child endangerment.

It was the second time in a week that Teresa Weldon was arrested. On Wednesday, the grandmother who was arrested on a Tarrant County theft warrant as authorities seized the dogs. She was released from the Parker County Jail the next day.

Three dogs were euthanized shortly after authorities seized them, and five puppies died over the weekend, said Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler on Monday.

Authorities received a tip about unhealthy conditions for the dogs at a Springtown residence in the 900 block of Lynch Bend Road last week and went to check on it on Wednesday.

Officials said many dogs were found in poor conditions. Animal control officers found unsanitary living conditions.

Thirty-one dogs were found in crates inside the residence in their own urine and feces, without food or water, Sheriff’s Department Investigator John Qualls said. Some of the crates were stacked on top of each other.

"There was an overwhelming foul odor of dog feces, which was detectable from outside the residence," Qualls said. "It was extremely unhealthy for both humans and animals."

Several outdoor pens contained puppies sitting in their own waste, authorities said.

The dogs were taken to the Weatherford-Parker County Animal Shelter.

Fowler has said Weldon was apparently allowed to adopt animals from an undisclosed Metroplex animal shelter without a proper background check.

"This is totally unacceptable and very disheartening," the sheriff said. "Adopting stricter policies and enforcing them would deter would-be hoarders and keep animals from suffering needlessly."

(Star Telegram - May 14, 2012)