A maze of trash, slippery steps, and excrement-caked walls.
Officers described the unsanitary living conditions they discovered during the execution of a search warrant at 1654 Waterbury Rd. on December 19.
On Thursday, Dec. 29, Lakewood Municipal Court Judge Tess Neff ruled Lakewood officers had probable cause to seize the 41 beagles that resided in the home. She set a bond amount of $27,000 to maintain ownership, which covers the cost of shelter care for 30 days.
If this is not met by Jan. 6, 2023, the dogs are considered abandoned and automatically surrendered to the city of Lakewood. The 30-day period began on the date of impoundment, December 19, and ends January 19.
If the bond is met and ownership is retained, the defendant must pay an additional $10 per day per animal at a cost of around $19,344 per month.
The owner objected to the evidence presented and requested a continuance to secure legal counsel. Judge Neff denied the request and told the individual he had ample time to find representation.
“I feel strongly about this situation,” the defendant stated.
While the beagles did not appear to be malnourished, the dogs’ nails were severely overgrown to the point of causing abscesses.
Two animal control officers, a housing and building inspector and Lakewood Detective Jeffrey Roda provided testimony to support the impoundment.
Thank you for covering this story. You are an angel.
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While the fines levied are high enough that he probably won’t be able to afford to keep the dogs, it’s incredible that the law would even allow him to regain custody of them.