PHOENIX — Officials with the Arizona Humane Society are hoping to give a 3-year-old German Shepard mix and her three 11-week-old puppies a new home after their owner was arrested this week for allegedly abusing the animals.
Ruby Marlow was arrested near 16th and Jefferson streets on Tuesday on four counts of neglecting or abandoning an animal and one count of neglecting or abandoning an animal resulting in serious physical injury.
An investigator with the humane society responded to Marlow's home and found four puppies and one adult dog outside with no water and only a dry container nearby.
One of the puppies was breathing shallow and had white gums. It was taken to a nearby animal hospital in critical condition, where it later died.
The maximum temperature in Phoenix on Tuesday was 107 degrees.
Marlow said she had left the dogs outside that morning with one gallon of water in one container, but said the dogs always knock the water over.
"What am I supposed to do?" she asked officers.
An officer told her that she should have left several containers of water outside for the dogs to drink and play in.
Marlow surrendered the rest of the dogs to the Arizona Humane Society, where they are currently getting treatment.
Dog, puppies rescued by Arizona Humane Society after owner was arrested for animal abuse
The humane society said in a press release that the dogs are being treated for giardia (a microscopic parasite that humans can get), ticks and one puppy is in need of weight gain.
All of the dogs are in 10-day productive custody and will continue getting treatment in that time. It was not immediately known when they would be put up for adoption.
Marlow was released on her own recognizance and is set to appear in court next July 16.