CITRUS COUNTY, Fla – A Citrus County man has been arrested on 2-counts of animal cruelty after deputies discovered two dogs extremely emaciated.
On Thursday, July 6, 2023, deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to a call for service in reference to suspected animal cruelty and neglect.
Deputies say a complainant stated that the dogs were thin and living in pitiful conditions.
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Upon arrival, deputies were advised that the dog owner, 39-year-old Andrew Teachman, had left the home over 24 hours ago and not returned. Having no response at the residence’s front door, deputies began a perimeter search of the house and were able to locate a window into the home that was left slightly ajar.
While standing at the window, deputies could smell a strong odor of feces and urine coming from the room. Through the window, they observed that the room, which contained two dogs in appalling condition, was covered with feces. One dog, a noticeably thin black bulldog mix, was loose in the room. The second dog, who was housed in a wire crate, had his spine clearly protruding.
From the window, they also took note of one metal bowl that was empty and dry.
Deputies eventually made contact with Teachman, who claimed he would send someone to the residence to meet with them since he was currently out of town.
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After waiting a while, the deputies realized no one was coming and attempted to reach Teachman again, but were unsuccessful. Deputies then entered the residence through the ajar window into the room where the dogs were residing to provide immediate care.
Once inside, deputies noticed the dog in the crate was extremely emaciated, and his entire body was covered in dry and wet feces.
The dogs were removed through the open window, and deputies immediately provided them with water. The dogs began drinking the water very quickly, since the room they were housed in was extremely hot, due to the window air-conditioning unit being off. According to weather reports on Thursday, the heat index was 109 degrees.
“CCSO Deputies and our Animal Control Unit work tirelessly to help and defend innocent animals who are mistreated by irresponsible owners. Having those dogs kept in a room with no ventilation and no air conditioning on such a hot day was clearly animal abuse,” said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. “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.”
The dogs were transported to the Citrus County Animal Shelter. Andrew Teachman was later located and placed under arrest for two felony counts of animal cruelty.
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