Sebring Mother and Son Charged with 56 Counts of Animal Cruelty After 54 Pets Rescued from “Deplorable” Home Conditions

Following an eviction in Highlands County, Florida, authorities discovered 46 dogs and 8 cats living in filthy conditions in a Sebring mobile home that was rife with rats, roaches, and animal waste, sparking a massive animal rescue effort. After the finding, a mother and boy were taken into custody.

As deputies went to perform an eviction on Tuesday, they unintentionally discovered the circumstances inside the house, according to a report by First Coast News. Authorities took prompt action after discovering more than fifty animals in terrible health during the eviction. 56 charges of animal abuse were brought against Darlene Hutchinson, 66, and her 36-year-old son, Arthur Doliver.

“The entire floor of the home was covered in animal feces and there were many crates, the bottoms of which were also covered with several inches of feces, stacked upon each other,” according to a news release from the sheriff’s office that MSN News was able to get, was what deputies discovered inside the house. The fact that the animals were kept in cloth-covered crates with very little airflow and that the water bowls were discovered to be filled with pee rather of water further illustrates how dire the situation was.

According to FOX 13 News, as the rescue effort progressed, it was discovered that several of the dogs had obvious flea infestations, while others showed signs of hair loss.

Hutchinson and Doliver informed authorities that they had only had two dogs and one cat when they first moved into the house six years ago. The rescued animals are anticipated to get the treatment they require despite being charged with neglect.

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