A Florida man is facing animal cruelty charges after 29 animals were found in the back of a U-Haul truck with no food or water.
Marlon Antonio Flores, 47, was taken into custody after authorities rescued the animals—four dogs, the rest cats and kittens—from the truck in Hollywood on May 11.
Police officials said that the animals weren't receiving food or water and were inside small cages.
Two cats fled while officers gathered the others for transport to a local pet shelter.
Flores said that he rented the truck after being evicted in late March and claimed to be rescuing the animals.
“I’m not sure why he had so many animals,” Grossman said. “He said he wanted to rescue them. But that’s not the way to rescue them, to keep them in a blazing hot truck.”
“I observed four dogs in three cages, two of which were in one cage and did not appear to have room to turn around or comfortably move about. I observed no water or food accessible to two out of the three cages,” Burts wrote.
“Behind the dogs were several cages, which housed several cats and kittens. I observed one black and white cat in a small carrier with yellow liquid throughout the floor of its carrier and covering the animal head to tail. (Animal Control advised it was a mix of urine, feces, food and water...).”
Marcelina Godinez, who lives in the area, said she first saw the truck on May 10 and thought someone was using it to move.
Her husband later spotted a dog inside, prompting them to call the police.
“I felt bad. I prefer them being in [an] animal shelter,” Godinez added. “At least they feed them there but having them in there was horrible.”
Animal Crueltys
The effects of animal cruelty reach beyond the animal victims, noted researchers for the Animal Welfare Institute in a 2012 report (pdf)."Accumulating empirical evidence is demonstrating a strong association between animal cruelty and other crimes, including interpersonal violence, illegal possession of drugs and guns, and property destruction," researchers stated. "Moreover, participation in animal cruelty in childhood is a significant marker for the development of aggressive and anti-social behavior, as well as a predictor of individuals who might engage in domestic violence."
Nearly every state has passed laws making animal cruelty a felony in some or all cases, the researchers said, "a dramatic change" in how the crimes are viewed and prosecuted.
"Hoarding behavior often victimizes animals. Sufferers of a hoarding disorder may impose severe neglect on animals by housing far more than they are able to adequately take care of. Serious animal neglect (such as hoarding) is often an indicator of people in need of social or mental health services," the group stated.
"Surveys suggest that those who intentionally abuse animals are predominantly men under 30, while those involved in animal hoarding are more likely to be women over 60."