Starving dogs found living in filth
Belle Glade, FL (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009
County: Palm Beach

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Simon Jerome Putmon

A Belle Glade man is charged with animal cruelty after authorities found nine starving and emaciated dogs standing in their own filth in April, according to reports. Three of the dogs had to be euthanized within hours.

Simon Jerome Putmon, 48, was booked into the Pam Beach County Jail early this morning and was released hours later after posting $3,000 bond.

Simon Jerome Putmon is charged with nine counts of abandoning or neglecting animals and one count of causing cruel death, pain or suffering.

According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's report, on April 14, a sheriff's deputy and a Palm Beach County Animal Control officer, acting on an anonymous tip, went to the home at 692 S.W. Avenue F. They found seven dogs in homemade wooden cages with no food or drinkable water, one tied to a tree with no food or water, and one in a small travel carrier without food or water.

The animals, all pit bull mixes, appeared thin and sick and were standing in their own feces and were swarmed by flies, the officers reported.

Putmon's son told the officers his father owned two or three of the dogs and watched the rest for others. Putmon later arrived and claimed ownership of all nine animals. He said he keeps the dog at his ex-wife's home because he cannot keep them where he lives.

The animal control. officer urged Putmon to surrender the dogs, saying they all needed emergency veterinary care, and he did.
A veterinarian later reported all nine suffered from fleas and parasites and were malnourished. Three were put down within hours.

The next day, Putmon told sheriff's deputies he'd had a seizure on April 7 and had not checked on the dogs because he thought his son was doing that.

Putmon was charged with nine counts of abandoning or neglecting animals and one count of causing cruel death, pain or suffering.

References

• Palm Beach Post - June 11, 2009

« FL State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Palm Beach County, FL

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.