An Ottumwa woman is charged with animal neglect after police say they found 10 dogs abandoned in an Urbandale motel room. Urbandale Police officer Randy Peterson says an anonymous caller sent officers to room 132 at Motel Relax (7625 Hickman Road) on Tuesday.
“When the officers opened the door, they were overwhelmed by the smell coming from the room,” Peterson said. “The officers waited 20 minutes before they could even enter the room.” The dogs, two female black Labradors and eight four-week-old puppies, were without food or water and were living in filthy conditions.
“They were surrounded by feces and a urine-soaked comforter was in the bathtub where the puppies were located,” Peterson said. “The older female dogs – they were showing their vertebrae and their ribs and hip (bones) were showing as well.” Veterinarians says the dogs had succumbed to eating cigarette butts.
Twenty-six-year-old Monique Petrossi of Ottumwa admitted owning the dogs. Peterson says Petrossi claimed to have only left the dogs alone for one day. The 10 dogs were turned over to West Des Moines Animal Control.