25 dogs, hundreds of snakes and rats, seized from condemned Smithfield home
By: Anthony Vega
Email: avega@abc6.com
Twitter: @avegaABC6
Reporting by: Rebecca Turco
SMITHFIELD, R.I. (WLNE) — More than two dozen dogs have been seized from a condemned home in Smithfield.
Investigators were at the residence on Pleasant View Avenue for several hours Tuesday, through a search warrant from the R.I.S.P.C.A. They responded after receiving a tip from a concerned citizen.
25 dogs were removed, including French bulldogs and bulldog mixed breeds, according to R.I.S.P.C.A. Officer Joe Warzycha. The animals will be checked out by veterinary staff in order to see what condition they are in.
“A number of dogs were living in crates that were filled with accumulating feces, urine,” said Warzycha. “They were standing in feces.”
Police arrested two men who live in the home: Michael Williams and Michael Ramos. Williams is already on probation on prior animal cruelty charges.
Police just put a man in handcuffs and walked him to the back of a cop car @ABC6
— Rebecca Turco ABC6 (@RebeccaTurcoTV) March 20, 2018
A second man from the home has been placed in a cruiser in cuffs @ABC6
— Rebecca Turco ABC6 (@RebeccaTurcoTV) March 20, 2018
Both men are being held until their arraignment Wednesday. They each face at least 25 counts of animal cruelty. "They’re both living here, they’re both responsible for providing the proper care for these animals so they’re both going to be held equally responsible," Warzycha said.
Ramos admitted to owning five of the dogs, while Williams claims a number of the dogs were transported here temporarily and don’t belong to him, according to Warzycha. Investigators are looking into who owns the dogs and where they came from.
Area animal control offices will care for the dogs during court proceedings, though Warzycha is hoping the suspects voluntarily surrender the animals so they can be put up for adoption in the meantime.
Authorities also found around 200 rats in the basement and a few hundred snakes inside a building attached to the garage, Warzycha said. Those animals were living in humane conditions.
Pure Paradise Pets in Johnston is taking care of those animals during the court proceedings. The owner estimates the snakes, ranging from pythons to boa constrictors, are worth at least $100,000.
Warzycha hopes the suspects choose to surrender those animals, as well.
©WLNE-TV/ABC6 2018
