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Phoenix police find six dead dogs in home, nine others malnourished
Posted
A Phoenix woman is accused of neglecting 15 dogs at a home, resulting in the deaths of six of them.
Authorities report Blanche Lopez, 61, was arrested on 15 counts of animal cruelty.
According to court documents, Phoenix police responded to a home near 31st Avenue and Roosevelt Street around 10:45 p.m. Sunday. An officer on patrol had smelled a strong odor from the home, believed to be that of a decomposing body.
The officer tried to do a check welfare at the residence and learned from a neighbor that the owner hadn't been seen in at least two days. While conducting the check, the officer saw what appeared to be a dead dog in the center of the front room. He also saw other dogs inside.
Police said Ms. Lopez arrived at the home after receiving a phone call. She reportedly showed no concern for officers to check the home or the odor coming from inside.
Police entered the home with Ms. Lopez and found six dead dogs and nine other dogs. Police said Ms. Lopez had intentionally neglected the 15 dogs due to lack of water and/or heat exhaustion.
Police said the nine surviving dogs showed signs of malnutrition. The floors were covered in feces along with blood from the dead dogs, court documents state.
Police said Ms. Lopez tried to cart two of the dead dogs outside to dispose of them. However, officers stopped her. She declined to answer any questions.
Ms. Lopez was booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail but was released on her own recognizance.
Phoenix police said Tuesday afternoon the nine surviving dogs were seized by the Arizona Humane Society and are being treated at the AHS Second Chance Animal Trauma Hospital, 9226 N. 13th Ave. in Phoenix.
