Palatka, Florida — Palatka police charged a local man with several counts of animal cruelty after finding dead and dying puppies and other dogs in “deplorable” conditions at a home.
Eric Milton Kitzweger, 65, faces charges after a sanitation worker found dead and dying puppies in a shoebox inside a trash can outside Kitzweger’s home on Monday.
The discovery lead police inside the man’s home, where they discovered mounds of feces, urine-soaked dogs beds, and a total of five puppies and three other dogs living unsanitary conditions
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“The couch cushion stuffing was littered across the living room area and was so matted with dog feces and urine that it produced a slippery, sticky texture,” the police report said.
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Most of the dogs were underweight, showing ribs. Police founds only one dog food bowl and one water bowl in the residence that housed a total of eight dogs. Both were dry, with no evidence of water or food being in them recently, police said.
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Two of the puppies were transported for medical care, and one later died.
Each of the six remaining living dogs were taken by animal control for care.
Kitzweger was taken to Putnam County Jail.
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