Tests confirm dogs died from heatstroke & dehydration, Frostproof woman arrested
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
FROSTPROOF, Fla. - A Frostproof woman who was taking care of her brother's dogs while he was deployed overseas is charged in connection with the death of his pets.
The backstory:
Back in June, Polk County deputies responded to an anonymous complaint regarding two dead dogs in the backyard of a home on West 6th Street.
When they got to the home, they found two dead German shepherds inside a makeshift pen with no roof or shade. The temperature at the time was 93 degrees. Deputies said the pen contained no food or water bowls and the dogs appeared to be in the early stages of decomposition.
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Nashali Santiago, 20, told deputies she had last seen the dogs the night before and claimed they were fine. She said she typically gave them water and food once a day.
The dogs were sent to the University of Florida Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, where necropsies were done. The results confirmed both dogs died from heatstroke and dehydration.
Santiago was arrested and charged with two counts of felony animal cruelty.
What they're saying:
"This is a heartbreaking case of neglect. If you take responsibility for an animal, you are obligated to care for it properly. These dogs suffered and died needlessly, and now the woman responsible for their deaths is facing serious felony charges," said Sheriff Grady Judd.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Polk County Sheriff's Office.