Beverly Hills couple arrested, charged with several counts of felony animal cruelty
Photo graphic courtesy of CCSO.
Beverly Hills, Florida - On January 23, 2024, Animal Control Officers with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence on S. Tyler Street in Beverly Hills due to a complaint of a barking dog.
Animal Control Officers (ACOs) arrived at the residence to find three small Chihuahua dogs running loose in the front yard, which was filled with garbage. The officers also noticed a strong smell of ammonia and feces outside the home.
In the backyard, officers spotted a thin Chihuahua lying on a blanket. For several minutes, the Chihuahua did not respond to the officers, but when one of the officers attempted to pick her up, the dog tried to run away. While trying to flee from the officers, the dog fell over several times. She was taken to Citrus County Animal Services in Inverness, Florida for immediate veterinary care.
Although the officers were unable to locate the residents, looking through a window, they observed a bulldog-type puppy and a white husky dog. Fearing that the homeowner might need medical attention, Citrus County deputies and animal control officers entered the cluttered home, which had no power. Officials saw that the kitchen floor was covered in feces, urine, and trash.
"The rest of the house was in similar condition," said CCSO spokesperson Sydney Hudson. "Trash was everywhere, and spiderwebs, feces, and mold covered every surface."
A large, thin female husky was located in a wire crate that did not have a plastic tray at its base; the crate contained four food bowls, all coated in urine and feces, that contained no food or water. Animal control officers could see the husky's hip bones, along with several open wounds that were visable through her thick fur.
"Every inch of the husky's body was wet and caked with feces." said Hudson. "Another husky was lying on a slimy, sticky couch that was covered in feces with mold growing on it. There were a few partially filled food bowls throughout the home, but no water sources for the dogs."
While the officers were loading the last of eight dogs found at the residence into their vehicle to bring it to Citrus County Animal Services, 30 year-old Rory Alexander and 31 year-old Angelica Addison arrived at the residence. They told officers that they were not currently living in the home, but come back daily to care for the dogs. All eight dogs at the house were signed over to the county and are receiving medical care at the Citrus County Animal Shelter.
Both were arrested. Alexander and Addison were each charged with three counts of felony aggravated animal cruelty and four counts of animal cruelty. They were both incarcerated at the Citrus County Detention Facility in Lecanto, Florida.
"There wasn't an inch of this house that wasn't covered in feces, urine, or garbage," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "There is zero excuse to force innocent animals to live in these disgusting conditions. I am thankful for the individual who called us to report the abhorrent treatment of these dogs, and I urge anyone who sees possible signs of animal abuse to do the same."