CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – An animal owner in Clay County is facing potential charges after multiple animals, including dogs, prairie dogs, and reptiles, were seized from a home on Wednesday.
According to county officials, the owner, who was housing the animals at a home on Ashton Street, brought multiple dead dogs to be cremated in Jacksonville when the location’s staff noticed the dogs were in poor condition, prompting them to notify the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
“The smell was atrocious,” a neighbor said. “We were about 50-plus yards away and in that short amount of time the team opened the door to walk in and out, it just hit you like a ton of bricks.”
“[JSO] officers made a connection to a home in Clay County and alerted Clay County Animal Services,” officials said.
“It’s very heartbreaking, sad, and infuriating in a scene that a human being could do that to any living thing or person,” a neighbor told News4JAX.
Clay County Animal Control officers and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said that when they arrived at the home, they immediately noticed signs of animal neglect and poor conditions and began taking the animals from the residence.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said that in total, 25 dogs, 10 reptiles, and two prairie dogs were seized.
The agencies are still investigating and said the owner could face charges when the investigation is over. The animals will be treated and housed in Clay County until they can find a new home.
“The Clay County Animal Services shelter is full and fosters and adoptions are needed to make more room,” officials added. “You can email clayfosters@claycountygov.com to foster or go to claycountygov.com to see all of our adoptable animals."
Clay County Fire Rescue and the Clay County Environmental Services teams also helped safely remove the animals from the home.
