Six dogs found – one dead – in raid west of Redmond

(Update: statements from neighbor, Sheriff’s Department)

Reports from concerned citizens about several unattended dogs at a home west of Redmond prompted a raid that found six dogs — one of them dead.

“The dogs have been cooped up in this house for a week with no food, no water, nothing,” neighbor Rick Sturm said Friday.

The five surviving dogs were seized and their owner was cited on animal neglect charges, authorities said.

Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched last Sunday to the 3900 block of Northwest Progress Lane to check the welfare of several dogs on the property after citizens reported they had not seen anyone there caring for the dogs in several days, Sgt. William Bailey said.

Deputies saw several dogs inside the home, through a window. Bailey said they tried to contact the last known resident of the home the rest of the day but were unsuccessful.

A search warrant was executed at the home on Monday to find, check on and seize any animals on the property, Bailey said.

“We in turn seized four pit bull mixed dogs and one Chihuahua,” Bailey said. “We also located a sixth pit bull mix deceased on the property.”

Bailey said he the investigation couldn’t determine the cause of death or how long the dog had been dead. He said investigators believe the dogs were not fed, cared for or checked on for at least six days before being seized.

Anne M. Springer, 41, of Redmond, was contacted on Wednesday and determined to be the owner of the six dogs, Bailey said. She was cited in lieu of custody on one count of first-degree animal neglect and five counts of second-degree animal neglect.

Sturm said these dogs have caused issues before.

“This one little old lady walked by here, and I came out here with a baseball bat because the dog jumped over the fence and bit her in the leg. And I went out there with a baseball bat and was protecting her from the dog, because she was scared to death,” Sturm said.

The seized dogs are being sheltered and cared for at Redmond’s BrightSide Animal Center, Bailey said.

“We proudly serve animals too. We work hard to take care of the animals in our community,” Bailey said. “They’re valuable members of people’s families, and it affects people when animals aren’t being taken care of. In this case, unfortunately, these animals weren’t cared for for a number of days, and we’ve seized them and they’re getting taken care of now at the animal center.”