In what has surfaced as a distressing case of animal neglect, a man from the Mandeville area faces charges for animal cruelty following a gruesome discovery at his residence. As reported by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, the scenario unfolded when a sheriff's deputy, while attending to a call at a nearby property, noticed multiple dogs in dire condition yesterday morning.
Further investigation led to the identification of eleven dogs, all in varying degrees of emaciation and neglect, at a house located on Jackson Street near Mandeville. According to the sheriff's office, all the dogs were evidently starved and in alarming condition. The owner of these malnourished animals, Antino McKendell, was arrested and is slated to face the legal system with 11 counts of animal cruelty lodged against him. He will be booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center.
Additionally, there was one other dog found on the premises that, while neglected, did not seem to be as severely affected as the other eleven. For this, a citation was issued to the owner for animal cruelty under the same statute. Subsequent to the arrest, all the dogs were taken into the care of St. Tammany Parish Animal Control for much-needed attention and rehabilitation.
The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, no stranger to confronting crimes against animals, continues to encourage the public to report instances of abuse in a timely manner, emphasizing that its officers are ready to respond and uphold the humane treatment of all creatures.
