A Del City woman is facing a felony animal cruelty charge after police say they found dozens of animals, including dogs, cats and a bearded dragon, trapped inside a condemned store without food or water amid summer heat. Officers say the conditions inside were so extreme that one officer's cell phone shut down from the heat.
Police identified the woman arrested in connection with the case as Sarahi Flores, according to KFOR. Flores told officers she did not live in the building but rented it, the outlet reports, citing a police report. A News9 report published Aug. 5, 2026, described a woman accused of hoarding 15 dogs, nine cats and one bearded dragon in a home lacking food, water or air conditioning. KFOR's account puts the number of dogs seized in the condemned-store case at 16, alongside nine cats and one bearded dragon.
Officers Describe Feces-Covered Floors and Heat That Disabled a Phone
According to KFOR, officers found animals locked up and free-roaming inside the building, with feces across the floor and in sinks. Some animals were caged without access to food or water, and others were trapped in the store in the summer heat, the station reports. The building's temperature was severe enough that one officer's cell phone reportedly shut down while inside, per the same account.
The building itself had already been condemned and was not supposed to have anyone inside it, KFOR reports. Del City's building official has authority to declare a structure condemned for occupancy and order it vacated when conditions warrant, according to City of Del City Ordinance No. 1388, though the available excerpt of that ordinance does not spell out the full enforcement procedure.
Police Lieutenant Says Animals 'Did Not Deserve These Conditions'
Lt. Blake Reichert said the case needed to be investigated and enforced because the animals did not deserve these conditions, according to KFOR's reporting. Flores was arrested in connection with the case and charged with felony animal cruelty, the station notes.
In Del City, animal control calls are handled through the police department's Patrol Division, and animals picked up by the department are typically taken to the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Center, according to the City of Del City. It is not confirmed whether the animals seized in this case were taken there.
