Two people in Keytesville, Missouri, have been charged with animal abuse and neglect after several malnourished dogs were discovered in an abandoned home.
Vincent and Emily Brummer each face three misdemeanor counts of animal abuse and three counts of animal neglect. Warrants were issued on Monday, and their bonds were set at $1,500 each.
According to court documents, a neighbor alerted authorities after seeing a German shepherd tangled in a chain in a backyard for several days. On Sunday, a Chariton County deputy responded to the call and went to the home, where he believed both Brummers lived.
The deputy noticed a utility shut-off notice on the front door dated Friday and mail for both individuals in an open mailbox, postmarked May 13. While at the property, the deputy heard dogs barking from inside.
In the backyard, he found a severely malnourished German shepherd tied to a board with a very short chain. There were empty bowls and buckets nearby. The deputy gave the dog water from a neighbor’s spigot, and the animal drank several inches of it right away.
The deputy then entered the house and was met with an overwhelming odor made worse by the heat. There was no air conditioning, and dog feces were found in several rooms.
Inside, he found a starving pit bull and a dachshund locked in a crate with no food or water. Both dogs appeared extremely weak and unresponsive. The deputy believed this was due to severe dehydration and starvation.
Temperatures in the area had been above 80 degrees in the days before the discovery. When released from the crate, the dachshund immediately ran to an empty water bowl. Authorities estimate the dogs had been left without care for four to five days.
Related topics:
- Vancouver Opens New Off-Leash Dog Park in FairviewFraser
- Valley Man Mauled by Dogs, Left Bleeding on Remote Roadside
- Stray Dog Leads Couple Through Woods to Her 10 Puppies
