EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah — The Utah County Sheriff's Office said an Eagle Mountain woman is suspected of animal cruelty after 16 dogs were found dead inside her home.
On March 3, neighbors went to check on the welfare of the dogs when the 74-year-old woman was hospitalized after a fall. After seeing the dogs and the deplorable conditions, the neighbors called the sheriff's office.
The case has been submitted to the Utah County Attorney's Office, with a request for 16 charges of Class A misdemeanor animal cruelty for the dogs that died, and another 14 charges of class B misdemeanor animal cruelty for the dogs that were still alive.
The sheriff's office said they had prior contact with the woman under similar circumstances in 2018. At that time, 14 dogs were removed from the home, although the woman was allowed to retrieve four of the animals.
On another occasion, a warrant was issued to search the home after the woman denied a request by deputies to look inside. According to a release from the sheriff's office, as soon as deputies and animal shelter staff entered the house "they encountered an overwhelming odor of animal feces and urine." Deputies also found more than 15 dead dogs inside a freezer, and one dog lying dead outside a kennel.
During that incident, 14 dogs that were alive were removed from the house.
