Toddler and 17 dogs rescued from deplorable living contidions

5 people arrested

Police found and rescued a five-year-old toddler and 17 dogs living in unsanitary and "deplorable" conditions in Louisiana. Thibodaux Police Department officials described human waste, urine and rotten food among the horrendous conditions discovered throughout the house. Five people were arrested and charged with child desertion and animal cruelty.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Louisiana police officers responded to a call about an aggressive dog that escaped and nearly bit someone on on Friday. When officers went to the dog's home, they reported conditions "far worse than they imagined." 

Daily Mail reported the dog belonged to 17-year-old Austin Leblanc, who lived in astonishing conditions which included mold and rotten food throughout his home. 

Forty-year-old Ricky Leblanc was cited for 13 counts of animal cruelty and four dog vaccinating accounts and 73-year-old Ronald Leblanc received three counts of animal cruelty and two non-vaccination counts. The Leblanc household kept an astonishing 17 dogs in the home, which were reported to be a mix of pit bulls and small terriers, as well as a Chow mix and a Chihuahua.

Each dog was turned over to the Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter and nine of the pit bulls were puppies which have been placed for adoption. A blue-and-gold macaw was also taken to a temporary foster home. 

Twenty-one-year-old Dakota Leblanc and 20-year-old Rachel Ledet were both charged with child desertion and the unnamed toddler was taken to the Department of Child and Family Services.

The homeowners were given 15 days to improve the living condition or all animals will become property of the shelter, the Houma Courier reported.

Austin claimed his dog escaped after the toddler opened the door and denied that his dog was vicious around people. "People come in and out of our house all the time, and he gets along just fine. They're trying to say my dog's vicious, but they never gave him a chance."

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