WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — A pet owner was issued a municipal summons for animal cruelty after nearly a dozen puppies were found in a Wheat Ridge hotel room.
The Wheat Ridge Police Department said it was called out for a welfare check at a La Quinta Inn on Feb. 1 after dogs were found inside a room. Community services officers arrived and found four kennels holding a total of 11 puppies.
The officers noted an "overwhelming smell of feces from the room and kennels," according to Wheat Ridge PD. The feces was reportedly smeared inside the kennels and on the puppies' paws.
Wheat Ridge police said one of the puppies had an open cut on its paw and was "actively bleeding."
The puppies were taken to Foothills Animal Shelter. Days later, Wheat Ridge police learned that the puppies were unvaccinated and had contracted canine parvovirus.
"As a pet owner, you have the responsibility for taking care of those who can’t take care of themselves," Wheat Ridge PD said in a social media post on Monday.
According to the department, the owner was issued a municipal summons for 11 counts of animal cruelty or inhumane treatment.
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