PHOENIX — A Phoenix man has been taken into custody after police officers found several malnourished, sick dogs on his property.
Police officers were dispatched to Frank L. Childs' residence in west Phoenix on Dec. 14 after receiving calls that the suspect was harming animals.
Court records show officers reported finding a dead dog in Childs' kitchen and several more dogs that appeared extremely emaciated.
"The dog appeared to be deceased for some time," investigators wrote in a report. "The deceased dog had open raw sores on the rear, next to both sides of the tail and where the hip bones were protruding from the body."
Childs told police the dead dog had contracted canine parvovirus and he had failed to take the animal to a veterinarian. Dogs who contract the contagious virus can lose weight and become dehydrated if the illness is left untreated, according to the Veterinarian Medical Association.
It was later determined that the dog mainly died from a "prolonged lack of access to food," public records show.
Two other dogs in the suspect's custody had to be euthanized and none of his dogs tested positive for parvovirus, police said.
Childs was taken into custody Thursday and is facing multiple charges of animal cruelty.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.
Get to know 12 News
At 12 News, we listen, we seek, we solve for all Arizonans. 12 News is the Phoenix NBC affiliate owned by TEGNA Inc.
At 12 News, It’s a Matter of Facts. Built on a legacy of trust, 12 News serves more than 4.6 million people every month on air, on our 12 News app, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and 12News.com.
We are committed to hyper-locally serving all of our communities. We advocate for our neighbors, affect positive change, and connect our broader community to solutions.
12 News is the Official Home of the Arizona Cardinals and the proud recipient of the 2018 Rocky Mountain Emmy Award for Overall Excellence.
Stay connected by downloading the 12 News app, available on Google Play and the Apple Store, and by signing up for our daily newsletter. Catch up on any stories you missed on the show on the 12 News Youtube channel. Read content curated for our Spanish-speaking audience on the Español page.