A Putnam County man was arrested Thursday on felony animal cruelty charges after deputies said they found five dogs living in “deplorable conditions” at a residence in Palatka, including one dog with a chain embedded in her neck.
Marcel Plowden, 40, was charged with one count of aggravated animal cruelty and five counts of animal abandonment during a state of emergency, also known as Trooper’s Law, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
Florida remains under a state of emergency related to wildfires affecting parts of the state, which triggered the Trooper’s Law-related charges in the case.
The agency said it was contacted earlier Thursday about five dogs at a residence on Washington Street. One of the dogs had a chain embedded in her neck that had to be surgically removed by veterinary staff.
“It was so tight and had been there so long it had actually grown into her skin,” Sheriff Gator DeLoach said in a video statement. “This is absolutely atrocious and should never have happened to this poor dog or any of these dogs.”
The dog remained under veterinary care late Thursday after officials said she possibly had something lodged in her stomach. The other four dogs were taken to animal control and treated for dehydration and other symptoms related to neglect, the sheriff’s office said.
DeLoach said the sheriff’s office takes animal abuse cases “very, very seriously.”
“If you ever have a case where you suspect animal cruelty or neglect, please call the sheriff’s office and Putnam County Animal Services and report it so that we can take action so that this doesn’t happen again,” DeLoach said.
Plowden was taken to the Putnam County Jail, where he is being held on $30,000 bond.
