A Bridgeville area couple have been charged with animal cruelty after officials from Delaware Animal Services rescued 20 dogs from a home west of Bridgeville. Officials have charged 42 year old Ray Anderson and 40 year old Melissa Layton with five misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty neglect, six dog housing violations and 13 dog license violations. They have been released on their own recognizance. DAS officers, acting on a tip, went to a home on Ida Lane to check on the welfare of dogs at a residence reported to be in poor condition. A dog found in the yard was unresponsive and eventually had to be euthanized after it was rushed to a veterinarian. A search warrant was executed and 19 dogs of varying breeds and ages were found – many with severe skin issues and were malnourished and underweight. All the dogs were taken to Brandywine Valley SPCA where they are receiving medical treatment and care.Â
Additional information from DAS:
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for responsible pet ownership and the importance of reporting any suspected animal cruelty. The anonymous tip we received proved to be crucial in enabling us to intervene and save the lives of these dogs.
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DAS executed a search warrant and found 19 additional dogs of varying breeds and ages inside and outside of the property, including a nursing Boston Terrier with six puppies, five alive and one deceased. Many of the dogs had severe skin issues and suffered from sarcoptic mange, a highly contagious infection caused by burrowing mites. Some were malnourished and underweight. Some were in cramped housing with restricted movement.
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“All dogs suffered from varying levels of neglect,” said DAS Chief Mark Tobin. “It is completely inexcusable to treat animals this way, and it is against the law. This incident serves as an important reminder of the urgent need for responsible pet ownership and the importance of reporting any suspected animal cruelty. The anonymous tip we received proved to be crucial in enabling us to intervene and save the lives of these dogs.”
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All dogs were taken to Brandywine Valley SPCA where they are receiving medical treatment and care.
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“We’re grateful to the Office of Animal Welfare Delaware Animal Services Officers who rescued these dogs. No animal should be left to live like this, and our team has been working around the clock since these dogs came into our care,” said Brandywine Valley SPCA CEO Adam Lamb. “For some, the path to recovery and rehabilitation will be longer, requiring weeks of medical treatment, but our dedicated team of staff and volunteers continue to work with all of the dogs to provide the medical care and rehabilitation they need until they are healthy and ready to put this life of cruelty behind them.”
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Reporting Animal Cruelty
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UPDATED:Â Additional information from the Brandywine Valley SPCA:
Among the survivors are some in need of specialized surgeries and four nearly unrecognizable Labrador Retrievers suffering from severe sarcoptic mange, a highly contagious and extremely irritating parasitic infection of the skin caused by burrowing mites. All of them will need extended and specialized medical care.
Candy (the nursing Boston Terrier) and her newborn puppies, who were likely born within days of their rescue, will spend time with a foster who can give them the care they need until they can all be ready for a new life and family.
Caring for this number of animals, on top of our everyday work as Delaware’s only open-access shelter, involves a significant investment of resources – medical treatment, surgeries, isolation, and specialized cleaning protocols, vaccinations, spay/neuter, neonatal care, fostering, grooming, evaluation, and more.
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