PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Two dogs are dead and several other animals are in recovery after deputies said they found them in terrible conditions in a home in Loxahatchee.
Officers with Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control say the animals were being kept in cages with no access to food or water. The home also had no electricity for nearly a month.
"This was a criminal situation," said Capt. Dave Walesky with Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.
Animal Control was tipped off on the conditions of the home thanks to an anonymous call. They then contacted the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies tracked down the home owner, Jason Faroni, and were able to go into the house together.
That's when crews were able to rescue two dogs, a Rottweiler named "Ruger" and a black Malinois named "Sig," as well as two pigs from the home.
Walesky said the animals are all underweight to the point of being able to see their ribs, but are expected to be OK.
"It's just a matter of getting them proper nutrition," he said.
However, two other dogs did not survive.
A Yorkie named "Baby," who crews first received the anonymous phone call about, was found in the home already dead. Another dog "Mossy," was still alive but deputies said she was "extremely weak" and "unable to stand" on her own.
"Unfortunately that dog died when we were bringing it here," Waleksy said.
Faroni was arrested and faces seven counts of animal cruelty and four counts of animal entrapment. Faroni refused to go to his first appearance in court, citing a medical condition for not appearing.
Walesky though expects he could be facing more charges, as investigators are waiting on results concerning Baby's death. A necropsy will reveal if the 13-year-old Yorkie died of natural causes or neglect.
In either case Walesky is pushing for justice for the six animals.
"I will always push for the maximum sentence on an animal cruelty case," he said.
The shelter said Ruger and Sig won't be available for adoption until they are fully recovered.
