Dec 28, 2017
A Perrysville man is facing a number of animal cruelty charges after neighbors say he left his pit bull mix in deplorable conditions.
"It was very depressing...I feel bad for these dogs,” said Jacob Slater, who lives next door.
Pop cans, an end table and an old blanket rest on the front porch of the Dunlap Street home.
It's where police say they found an emaciated and malnourished pit bull mix in horrible condition Tuesday morning.
Investigators were told by neighbors that the dog named "Loki" had been left outside all night long in the 15-degree weather.
Police have since charged owner Charles Phillips with animal neglect and aggravated cruelty to animals.
According to the criminal complaint, officers could see "blood on the dog's mouth and nose, and its paws were bleeding." The animal was whimpering and "its ribs, lumbar, vertebrae and pelvis" were all visible.
Slater said he spotted a significant change in the dog's appearance and demeanor over the last several weeks.
"I noticed his dog was really, really skinny...He was also attacking him (the owner),” Slater said.
Police say the dog had been "sitting on an old, filthy, comforter with trash lying around it" with no food or water in sight.
When police questioned Phillips about why his dog had been outside, he told them, "The dog tried to bite him several times and that he put the dog outside on the porch at midnight ..."
Police say the dog was not aggressive toward officers, but the dog continued to growl and lunge at Phillips.
When police questioned Phillips about the dog's weight, he told them, "I feed my dogs ..." and the dog was so emaciated because he believed that the dog had worms.
Phillips also alleged that he had contacted "animal care and control" numerous times for help but they didn't respond so he just put the dog outside.
