PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man is facing charges after deputies uncovered a severe case of animal cruelty and neglect.
According to court documents, Michael Taylor, of Putnam County, was arrested and charged after law enforcement discovered 10 badly decomposed Great Danes stuffed into things like totes and laundry baskets.
The discovery was made on March 27.
The totes with the dead animals were found inside a van owned by Taylor.
When deputies contacted Taylor at his place of employment, three more Great Danes were found inside Taylor’s car parked outside the business.
According to the criminal complaint, two large cages covered in dog feces were taking up a large part of the space in the van.
The three Great Danes were stuffed in a small, confined space in the very back of the van behind the cages without any food or water.
In total, 13 Great Danes were found. 10 dogs were deceased, while three were found alive but badly neglected, officials said.
Originally, Taylor told deputies the dogs died after contracting a virus.
He stated it was a series of ‘horrible situations and that he dropped the ball because he had a brain tumor.’
Taylor told law enforcement he was living with a family member that told him he could not have the dogs in the house.
However, later at the courthouse, Taylor said he wouldn’t say that he killed the dogs on purpose but said he could have done more to prevent the deaths.
He then stated that there were ‘more dogs than he needed.’
Taylor also confessed to not taking them to the vet and that the story about the dogs contracting a virus was not true.
Taylor was charged with 13 counts of animal cruelty and neglect.
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