Miami County Sheriff ’s Office Deputy Sarah Fraley, who was on foot patrol near the bridge, heard a car, then the sound of puppies crying and rescued all four.
Fraley was able to get a description of the vehicle that dumped the dogs, and with the help of tips generated from media reports, the owners have been found and charged.
Steven Bixler, 29, of Piqua, is charged with two counts of animal cruelty, first degree misdemeanors and four counts of abandonment, minor misdemeanors.
His girlfriend, Shonda Lee, 36, of Piqua, is charged with one count of animal cruelty, a first degree misdemeanor, and failure to license.
Lee told them that she wasn’t able to take care of the puppies (and didn't want to pay the impound fee to drop the pups off at the shelter).
Lee also turned over the mother dog to the animal shelter on Tuesday.
“(Bixler) gave me a written statement saying he just didn’t want to pay the money to take them to the shelter,” said Fraley, who said it is a $5 per dog charge.
“Now they are going to be out fines and court costs and with a misdemeanor of the first degree, they could get jail time — it’s up to the judge.”
Bixler and Lee are scheduled to appear in court Nov. 20.
Fraley said there has been an outpouring of concern from the community for the dogs, all of which were found to be emaciated, malnourished and covered in fleas. All four of the puppies and the mother are up for adoption.
Fraley said more than 50 applications have been accepted for the puppies, including offers from Las Vegas and Texas. They will begin being adopted on Thursday.
UPDATE TO STORY:
Suspects in animal cruelty case skip arraignment Magistrate orders bench warrants for Bixler, Lee
Magistrate Gary Zuhl issued bench warrants against the couple, Steven A. Bixler (Steve Bixler), 29, and Shonda R. Lee, 36, both of Piqua, after they refused to show up to answer their court summons following their alleged dumping of the four puppies.
Both were arrested later on in the day Tuesday, were later arraigned in the afternoon and released on their own recognizance.
Bixler has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty and four counts of animal abandonment while Bixler has been charged with one count of animal cruelty and failure to license a dog.
A sheriff’s deputy patrolling on foot near the bridge found the four puppies after a vehicle pulled up and dumped them earlier this month.
The four puppies were later adopted out to good homes by the Miami County Animal Shelter. The mother dog, Precious, was surrendered by Lee on Nov. 13. She was adopted out to a good home, too.
Lee claimed she was unable to care for the four puppies - and too lazy to take them to the shelter and pay the $5 per puppy charge to surrender them.
