COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Police seized six dogs from a Pilsen home this week, including a pit bull so frail she looked like "a walking skeleton," prosecutors said Thursday.
Owner Jose Lopez, 35, allegedly told police the dog was "thin and sick because [Lopez] did not have the money to take care of all the dogs," according to an arrest report.
Police first stopped by Lopez's home in the 1700 block of West Cullerton Street on Tuesday to investigate reports of animal abuse, Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said during a bond hearing Thursday.
When officers arrived, they found two dogs in the front lawn: the emaciated female pit bull and a male German Shepherd, the arrest report said. According to police, the front yard was covered in several weeks' worth of feces, and the dogs didn't have food, water or shelter.
The pit bull was "in very poor shape" and officers could see her ribs, Scaduto said.
As the officers waited for Animal Care and Control to arrive, Lopez stepped outside and took the German Shepherd back in the house with him — leaving the pit bull in the yard, police said. Lopez wouldn't speak with officers, according to the arrest report.
Police returned the next day with a search warrant, and found five dogs inside the house: the German Shepherd, three Huskies and a Yorkshire Terrier, court records show.
Each of the rooms on the first floor of the house was covered in feces, police said.
Lopez admitted he owned the pit bull, German Shepherd and one of the Huskies, prosecutors said. He later told police he couldn't afford to take care of all three, court records show.
Animal Care and Control removed all six dogs from the home.
Lopez was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, two counts of animal cruelty and three counts of neglecting pet-owner duties. He also was charged with possession of a controlled substance after police found cocaine and drug paraphernalia in the house.
Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. on Thursday ordered Lopez held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
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