Dogs found emaciated, one dead Canton, ME (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Oct 12, 2011 County: Oxford
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: » Name Undisclosed » Name Undisclosed
Two men were charged with animal cruelty Wednesday after officials found a dead dog and two emaciated ones at their house at 134 Campbell Road.
The names of the two who were issued court summonses were not released by Oxford County Detective Thomas Harriman.
Harriman and Animal Control Officer Tracy Wing went to the residence after an anonymous caller expressed concern about the welfare of four dogs at the home. The caller said one of the dogs might be dead.
Harriman said he and Wing contacted three residents at the property Wednesday afternoon to question them.
"They were all cooperative with us," he said.
Wing said an aggressive adult male pit bull and a 9-month-old female bull mastiff were on a back porch and both were emaciated.
"You could tell they had not been fed or taken care of," Wing said. "You could see about every bone in their body."
She said she believed the dogs had occasionally been fed white rice and table scraps. Wing also said the porch was covered with feces and urine.
"There were definitely some housekeeping issues," Wing said.
The dogs were turned over to Wing by the owner and taken to a shelter.
Harriman said each man who was summoned to court was charged with one count of animal cruelty.
A dead pit bull was also found on the property, and further charges are pending, he said.
Wing said a fourth dog was unaccounted for, and was believed to be deceased.
Wing and Harriman said there was no evidence any of the dogs were involved in dog-fighting. References |