Rochester Police on Thursday rescued two dogs suffering from starvation and neglect and allegedly living in filth inside a Rochester home.
The Rochester Police Department received a call from a concerned utility worker on February 21 reporting that she saw two malnourished-looking dogs inside a house on New Bedford Road.
Police and Animal Control officers arrived at the scene and found nine-year-old “Ace” and two-year-old “Bentley” locked inside looking severely malnourished, according to a Rochester Police press release.
The officers’ initial impressions of the conditions of the house were described as “very unsanitary,” along with an extreme odor of animal urine and feces detected from the driveway. No one was home, and officers found no water or food left available for the dogs.
Police contacted the resident of the house, Tyrone Mendes, 33, who returned home and was subsequently charged with two counts of Animal Cruelty and two counts of Failing to License a Dog.
The officers stated that the conditions inside the house were “deplorable” and covered with animal waste.
Animal Control took Ace and Bentley into custody and later released the pair to the Animal Rescue League of Boston for medical treatment.
The ARLB reports that it is caring for the two dogs at the ARL animal care and adoption facility in Brewster. Bentley currently weighs only 20 pounds and is roughly 30 pounds underweight. Older dog Ace was in slightly better condition but still malnourished.
“Both animals are settling into their new surroundings and will be on a closely monitored feeding schedule to promote safe and steady weight gain,” ARL Brewster veterinary staff report in a public statement.
Both Ace and Bentley are expected to fully recover, barring any unexpected complications.
By Jean Perry