According to an October 2 post from the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, an incident that unfolded in late-August has led to animal cruelty-related charges for a local resident.

On August 27, a deputy was dispatched to a Salida residence after an anonymous report about potential animal cruelty was received. Upon arrival, the deputy found three dead puppies and two dead chickens. Two living puppies were also located on the property along with an adult dog with all three said to have no access to food or water amid poor living conditions.

The surviving dogs were removed from the home and taken to immediate care, with one of the two surviving puppies soon dying after its removal due to its poor state of health.

Necropsies of the deceased puppies were conducted, with it being determined that all four died of severe dehydration, starvation, secondary infections, and lack of veterinarian care.

The resident of the property, a 29-year-old, was arrested on October 2 related to the situation after the final medical reports of the animals were received. The suspect was released from the county’s detention center on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond, charged with six class one misdemeanors for cruelty to animals. The suspect is to be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.