Woman Accused Of Animal Cruelty

STARKE, Fla. - A woman being investigated in connection with several burglaries in Bradford County was arrested after deputies said they found not only stolen property in her home, but six small dogs that a veterinarian said showed signs of severe neglect.

According to the sheriff's office, a suspect in burglaries in the southern end of the county said she took some stolen property at the Hampton home of Pamela Vossi. When a detective went to Vossi's home last week, she was not home, but he saw the dogs in a cage without access to food or water.

The detective said the dogs appeared to be malnourished, infested with fleas and had obvious signs of eye infections.

When Bradford County Animal Control took the dogs into protective custody, a veterinarian said the animals showed signs of severe neglect.

"It was heartbreaking," said Capt. Brad Smith, of the Bradford County Sheriff's Office. "Detectives got out there, saw the dogs, immediately realized that they were in distress and took action."

Video:Police Were Investigating Burglaries

When Vossi showed up Tuesday morning to claim her dogs, she was arrested on six counts of cruelty to animals and one count of dealing in stolen property.

"When detectives saw them, there was no water present, there was no food in the kennel with them," Smith said. "The closest outdoor spicket didn't even have water running from it. We don't know how much longer the dogs could have survived."

Vossi was booked into the Bradford County Jail and held without bond until an arraignment scheduled on Wednesday morning.

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