VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (WEAR) — A Florida man was arrested on animal cruelty charges after deputies say he rarely fed or gave his dogs water while they were kept outside in severe heat.
Zachary Crain, 26, is charged with three felony counts of animal cruelty and three misdemeanor counts of unlawful confinement/abandonment of animals without sufficient food or water.
The incident happened Tuesday evening in Volusia County.
"Earlier in the day, Animal Control officers had custody of Dolly and Buttercup after they were picked up after escaping their pen," the sheriff's office said in a release. "The officers were already familiar with the dogs from past escapes, but noticed their physical condition was worse than in the past. Both dogs were underweight, with Buttercup’s condition the most visibly concerning, with her hip bones, shoulder blades and other bones protruding."
Crain told deputies he had not bought food in about five weeks due to financial constraints, and he last fed the dogs two to three days ago.
"An additional dog, Joker, was still at the house as deputies began their investigation, and it was noted that all bowls in the dogs’ enclosure were completely dry," the release states. "A deputy found a hose and used it to provide Joker some water."
Temperatures were as high as 99 degrees Fahrenheit– with heat indexes as high as 108 degrees – in the area over the past several days.
"Because Crain had indicated he’d been unable to buy dog food anytime recently, a deputy purchased a large bag of Pedigree and delivered it to the house," the release states. "The response to that gesture was captured in the attached body camera video."
The video shows a woman responding rudely to the gesture.
All three dogs, Dolly, Buttercup, and Joker, were taken in by Animal Control and are receiving appropriate evaluation and care.
"Deputies conducted a walkthrough of the home to confirm that the children in the house were receiving proper nutrition and care," the release states. "Plenty of food was observed in the pantry and refrigerator. Pizza was also delivered to the house while deputies were on scene."
Crain was released on $9,000 bond.
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