10 dogs, other animals found in filthy conditions at Tampa home

TAMPA — Two men have been arrested on animal cruelty charges after police said they found 10 dogs, four rabbits, a ferret and a bird living in waste.

Officers came to 3703 N 51st St. at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to investigate a possible burglary, said Hillsborough County Animal Services spokeswoman Marti Ryan.

Instead, they found the animals living in a smelly back room without fresh air, food or water, according to an arrest affidavit. One dog appeared close to starvation, the affidavit states.

The animals' owners, Angel Negron, 23, and Ladarian Taylor, 26, face 10 counts of animal cruelty and 16 counts of confining animals without food and water.

Ryan said the animals would be evaluated by county veterinarians Friday, and investigators would seek legal custody of them all.

Negron and Taylor were booked into the Hillsborough County Jail, where they remain on $26,000 and $23,500 bail, respectively.

Negron also had a warrant out for his arrest for driving without a license, jail records show.