PHOENIX — A Phoenix woman is facing multiple animal cruelty charges after six dead dogs were recovered from her home near 31st Avenue and McKinley Street on Sunday night.
Police said officers noticed a suspicious odor while on patrol in the area. Because of how strong the odor was, officers went to check on the welfare of anyone at the home where the odor came from.
Police said nobody answered, but officers noticed a dog through a window that appeared dead and could also see many other live dogs inside.
While officers were at the scene, the resident, 61-year-old Blanche Lopez, returned home and allowed the officers to enter and check on the dogs.
Inside, officers found six dead dogs and nine living, malnourished dogs. The Arizona Humane Society took the remaining live dogs to care for them.
Lopez was taken into custody and booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail on 15 counts of cruelty to animals, police said.
AHS said the dogs are mixtures of labs, shepherds and Shar-Peis and range in age from 10 weeks to four years, but due to their health, they look much older.
Eight more dogs, two of whom are in very critical condition, are being cared for at the Arizona Humane Society's trauma hospital as well.
One dog was found lying on his side, and his kidneys "are a complete mess," a spokesperson for AHS said. Trauma vets put the dog on an IV and antibiotics. The other critical case is a dog who is having seizures and is on seizure watch.
An AHS spokesperson said the dogs are in extremely bad shape and may not survive.
The other six dogs appear very lethargic, are losing fur and have skin irritations. AHS said they are also very nervous and fearful of their surroundings. Bloodwork is pending on the dogs.
Of the dogs found dead, AHS said only one of the bodies was able to be taken to Midwestern University for a necropsy because the other bodies were too decomposed.
