Florida: Terri West, 20, moved out of her apartment and left her dog locked inside a crate sitting in the sun to die of thirst

FLORIDA -- A Tallahassee woman was in court for animal cruelty after animal control officers found her dog dead inside her old apartment.

According to a probable cause document, back in August animal control officers were called to University Heights Apartments in Tallahassee about a dead animal that had been abandoned by its tenants.

When officers spoke to a leasing agent, he told them that the tenants had moved out and could no longer get into the apartment. He also told them that he had seen the dog alive on the back porch earlier in the month.

With the agent's permission, they entered the apartment and went into the back room, where they found dog feces in the bathroom. In the bedroom, they found a receipt with a previous tenant's name on it.

Officers determined that the dog had been left inside the crate along the porch railing, exposing the dog to the sun. They said that they didn't see any signs that the owner had left food or water prior to the dog's death.

After a necropsy report, doctors estimated that the dog had been dead for nearly a week and that there was no evidence or cause besides neglect.

Following an investigation of all the previous tenants, police were able to determine that Terri West was the owner who left the dog behind.

She is facing charges related to the cruel death of an animal. Her bond was set at $5,000 Thursday, and she is not allowed to posses any pets, nor have any contact with the witnesses.

ARREST INFORMATION: 
Full Name: Terri Monae West
Gender: Female
Date of birth: 01/26/1996
Height: 5'02"
Weight: 150 lbs
Hair Color: BLK
Eye Color: BRO
Arrest Age: 20
Date: 12/07/2016
Arresting Agency: Leon County Sheriff, Tallahassee FL
Total Bond: $5,000
Charge:
#1 CONSERVATION-ANIMALS CAUSE CRUEL DEATH PAIN AND SUFFERING
STATUTE: 828.12 2. BOND: $5,000

(WTXL - Dec 8, 2016)