Homosassa man charged with two counts of aggravated animal cruelty
Photo graphic courtesy of CCSO.
Citrus County, Florida - On Thursday, July 6, 2023, deputies and animal controll officers with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) responded to a call for service that reported suspected cruelty and neglect of dogs who were thin and living in pitiful conditions.
Officers who arrived at the Homosassa residence of 39 year-old Andrew Earl Teachman, the owner of the dogs, were informed that Teachman had left the home over 24 hours previously, and he had not returned.
Receiving no response at Teachman's front door, officers looked around the home and located a window that was slightly ajar. Standing at the window, deputies smelled a strong odor of feces and urine coming from the room. Looking through the window, officers observed that the room, which contained two dogs, was in appalling condition, covered with feces. One dog, a thin black bulldog mix, was loose in the room. The spine of a second dog, who was housed inside of a wire crate inside the room, was "clearly protruding," according to a press release. Officers also noticed a metal bowl, dry and empty, inside the room.
Deputies eventually made contact with Teachman, who informed them that he would send someone to the residence to meet with them since he was currently out of town. However, after waiting for someone to arrive at the residence, deputies realized that no one was coming, and they unsuccessfully attempted to reach Teachman again.
Deputies made entry into the residence through the open window in the room where they'd seen the two dogs, so they could provide them with immediate care. Once inside, deputies noticed that the dog inside the crate was extremely emaciated, and his entire body was covered in dry and wet feces.
The dogs were removed from the home through the open window. Deputies immediately provided them with water. The dogs began quickly lapping up the water, since the window air-conditioning unit in the room where they were housed was turned off, and the room was extremely hot. According to weather reports that day, the heat index was 109 degrees.
The dogs were transported to the Citrus County Animal Shelter. Andrew Teachman was located, later the same day (July 6, 2023), and placed under arrest, charged with two felony counts of animal cruelty.
"CCSO deputies and our Animal Control Unit work tirelessly to help and defend innocent animals who are mistreated by irresponsible owners," said Citrus CountySheriff Mike Prendergast. "Having those dogs kept in a room with no ventilation and no air conditioning, on such a hot day, was clearly animal abuse. I am extremely thankful for the concerned citizen who reached out to find help for these two dogs and hold Teachman accountable for his gross negligence. Please, especially with the record-breaking heat we have been experiencing lately, if you suspect someone is neglecting animals, call us."
About the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) Animal Control Unit (ACU)
Animal Control Officers (ACO's) joined the Citrus County Sheriff's Office on September 1, 2009, and are part of the Patrol Division Special Operations Unit. ACO's respond to complaints involving domestic animals and livestock, including calls involving animals that are abused, dangerous, or a nuisance to citizens within Citrus County. They have the authority to remove these animals and issue citations for violations of the county's Animal Control ordinance.