KING AND QUEEN COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Authorities say two people are facing animal cruelty charges after dozens of dogs, some near death, were found at a King and Queen County home in late August.
Deputies rescued the 20 dogs and 12 puppies from the home on Owens Mill Rd. in St. Stephens Church during a search warrant on Aug. 27. The owners, Richard Awlasewicz and Candice Wheat, were arrested on felony animal cruelty charges.
According to deputies, five of the dogs were found barricaded inside a dilapidated camper, where they had no food and water and were covered in feces and urine.
The other dogs were inside the residence with no water and very little food, the sheriff’s office said. The state health department and the county zoning office responded to the home, where they found several health, safety, and zoning issues.
The dogs are currently being held at the King William Regional Animal Shelter.
A hearing to determine if the dogs will be returned to Awlasewicz and Wheat is scheduled for Sept. 20.
LATEST NEWS:
- McMaster blames Biden for border crisis, signs order to block migrant children from being brought to South Carolina
- DHEC: 453 new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Carolina
- Man stabbed after possible argument at Lumberton hotel
- ⚾ WANTED: MLB Food Tester – Get paid $500 to eat hot dogs and watch baseball🌭
- South African variant may be able to ‘break through’ Pfizer vaccine, study finds