A woman from Fort Myers was arrested for animal neglect when deputies found 13 puppies in her garage Friday.
Lee County deputies went to a residence in Fort Myers after reports of suspected animal neglect. Neighbors of the house said they had been hearing whining throughout the day coming from the home's garage. Given the high outdoor temperatures, they feared for the animals' well-being.
Inside the garage, deputies discovered 13 puppies. The puppies were covered in dirt and feces and had no access to food or water.
The garage was unventilated and had no air conditioning. The Lee County Department of Animal Services recorded the temperature as 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Two adult female dogs were also found inside the home.
While deputies were at the residence investigating, the suspect, Ayana Lee Constantine, 37, arrived. She was detained and taken to Lee County Jail on 13 charges of animal neglect.
Neighbors we spoke to say the area is dog-friendly, but what Constantine did wasn't fair to puppies.
"Let's take care of the dogs at least, I mean, you can take care of yourself, but they rely on somebody and you as an owner got to step up for it," said Parker Ashman.
Others say they even saw the puppies before in the garage.
"We went to their house and she was hosing off her driveway and we asked to pet them so we pet them and it didn't look like she was, like, abusing them," Allie Miners told Gulf Coast News.
All animals were placed in the care of the LCDAS. One of the puppies with an injured leg was transported to Gulf Coast Humane Society for veterinary evaluation and is reported to be in stable condition.
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