POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Polk County woman is facing animal cruelty charges after deputies found one dog dead and two others “severely neglected” in her home, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Following an investigation, deputies said 52-year-old Dashong Bonner was arrested Thursday in Bartow.
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The sheriff’s office said responding deputies and animal control reported finding the dead dog in a wire kennel on the back porch of the Bartow home that was just “skin and bones.” Authorities said one of the “severely neglected” dogs was found in a wire kennel “covered in feces” with a half-eaten plastic dog food bag.
“This dog suffered repeated pain trying to stay alive eating a plastic dog food bag. The dog was unable to escape the wire kennel and attempt to hunt for food or water,” an affidavit said.
The other dog was found walking around the yard and weighed 22 pounds, according to deputies. Both of the dogs were emaciated and had hook worms as well as heart worms.
“These dedicated men and women are working around the clock restoring health to these two severely neglected dogs. It’s a shame we didn’t get there in time to save them all,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news release.
Bonner told deputies the dogs were given to her by her ex-husband and when she was asked when the last time the dogs were fed, she responded with, “I don’t know,” according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies said she told them she was not home often and therefore did not smell the feces or area where the dead dog was found by authorities.
The sheriff’s office said Bonner is facing two felony animal cruelty charges along with one count misdemeanor animal cruelty.