ST. LUCIE COUNTY – A St. Lucie County resident was arrested on Oct. 16, charged with animal cruelty after St. Lucie County Sheriff’s investigators found seven animals living in an “unlivable” home, according to sheriff’s office reports.
Deana Marie Jenkins, 31, is in the St. Lucie County Jail on charges of keeping animals inside without exercise and air. She is being held on a $3,500 bond, according to jail records.
The investigation start on Oct. 3 by the county’s Animal Safety Division and was assigned to a sheriff’s office deputy, according to sheriff’s office reports.
Multiple attempts to contact Jenkins were unsuccessful until a scheduled meeting at the home, in an undisclosed location in St. Lucie County, on Oct. 16 at 10 a.m.
Investigators were granted entry into the home, where six dogs and one cat were found confined indoors under severe neglect, according to sheriff’s office reports. There was an “overwhelming odor of urine and feces” and animal waste covered all areas of the home, including floors, furniture, and tables, making the home unfit for habitation, according to sheriff’s office reports. Investigators observed that the animals were actively using the interior of the home as their bathroom during the inspection, according to sheriff’s office reports.
The investigation resulted in a probable cause for arrest of the homeowner.
Further investigation revealed that none of the animals were up-to-date on vaccinations or health records, nor were they receiving any veterinary care, according to sheriff’s office reports.