Officers say neighbors complained about the stench coming from a home on Altmayer Street in Sharpsburg.
Upon entering, police found a litter of puppies decayed on the floor of the home's master bathroom and the skeleton of a large dog with a red collar still attached in the home's living room. Police also found an emaciated live female dog, later determined to be the puppies' mother.
An animal control officer said it appeared the living dog survived without food and water by eating the carcass of the dead dog. The officer also estimated the puppies had probably died two to three weeks before they were discovered.
Officers then got an arrest warrant for Sonya Lee Thomas, 44. She was taken into custody this afternoon and charged with seven counts of animal cruelty.
“The residence was in varying states of disarray,” said Brian Hoebel, of the Sharpsburg Police Department. “There was a lot of trash, but the results in conjunction with the animal control officers – we were able to ascertain that there was approximately five dead puppies, one dead adult dog, one dog that was still alive.”
Officers described Ms. Thomas' home as "extremely filthy, with clothing, old food cans, furniture, mattresses" and other items thrown throughout the residence. They estimated trash inside of the home piled as high as three feet in some places.
A surviving dog was taken into custody and is being treated at a local facility.
Thomas was not currently living in the house.
She told police she had been caring for the animals, but had occasionally sent her kids to feed the dog.
(cbslocal - June 1, 2013)
