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Abused Dogs Found Living In Filth; Salinas Woman Arrested

SALINAS (BCN) - A woman was taken to jail on Saturday after Salinas police found a group of severely abused dogs inside the suspect's home, which was in such an unhealthy living state that it was condemned, police reported.

Officers were called to the house in the 900 block of Sierra Madre Drive on the outer edge of Salinas around 11:10 a.m. Saturday after receiving a report of a foul odor coming from the house and possible animal abuse, police said.

Arriving officers decided to enter the home because they believed the foul odor coming from the home was from a dead body, police said.

Upon entry, however, it was found that the stench came from seven dogs in various stages of neglect and the drastically unhealthy living conditions they were being subjected to, police said.

After the dogs were turned over to Animal Control officers, representatives from the County Environmental Health and Code Enforcement arrived and deemed the house uninhabitable, police said.

An initial veterinary examination revealed that all seven of the abused dogs were blind and deaf as a result of their neglect, police said.  Additionally, three of the dogs suffered from cysts and three had heart murmurs, police said.

Police eventually located the suspect, 51-year-old Barbara Pickett, and arrested her for seven counts of animal cruelty, police said.

Pickett was taken to the Monterey County Jail, police said.

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