Dogs saved from 'filthy, deplorable' conditions in Stuart, 2 arrested
Channel: CBS 12 News - WPEC
Date: 2024-04-09

No room to move. Not enough to eat. Barely enough air to breathe. More than a dozen dogs – including some puppies – endured poor living conditions, while trapped in the backyard of a Stuart home, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MSCO) explained in a Facebook post shared after they had been rescued. 

Those unlivable conditions and the more than dozen dogs trapped in them were discovered by MCSO’s Animal Control Unit who, accompanied by its Criminal Investigation Division, descended on the home on Southeast Spruce Avenue, the Sheriff’s Office explained. Deputies say this investigation was sparked by a murder investigation. It happens to be at the same Spruce Avenue home where a murder suspect was arrested last week. When deputies executed a warrant for that murder suspect, they saw these dogs living in deplorable conditions. 

"During that apprehension and subsequent search warrant, 15 dogs were located in the yard of this residence, where the homicide was, in deplorable conditions, and I mean deplorable conditions," Martin County's Chief Deputy John Budensiek explained. "You can see the ribs of these dogs, they’re malnourished, this is as bad as it gets as far as animal cruelty." When they confronted the owner of the home, Rosetta Saez, claimed “she had no idea what was going on in her own backyard,” the post stated. Saez claimed the dogs belonged to another person who lived in the house, it continued. That person, Daniel Wilson, then reportedly told deputies he breeds and sells dogs. 

Saez, 47, and Wilson, 19, both ended up being taken to jail. The former was booked on a single count of animal cruelty, while Wilson faces 14 of the same counts. “A narcissistic person that doesn’t have any feelings, or care for any life,” Budensiek said when asked who would allow animals to live in these conditions. The dogs, meanwhile, went to the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast, the Sheriff’s Office noted, where they can get the care and attention they need. Additionally, they were signed over to the shelter, which the Sheriff’s Office assured meant they were not going back to that backyard and those living conditions.

"When they arrived at our shelter, we discovered just how neglected these poor pups were and provided them with immediate medical care," the shelter stated in its own post. "All of these dogs received vaccines, baths, de-wormer, testing (heartworm, fecal, skin scrapes, etc), and medications to help them heal."

The sheriff's office is still trying to figure out why all these dogs were at this one home.

“The answer is we’re really not sure what these dogs were being used for, or if they were being used for anything," Budensiek remarked. "We don’t know if they’re hoarding the dogs or what they were doing.”

According to the humane society, many of the dogs rescued were French Bulldogs, however, there were also basset hound, pit bull, and labrador mixes.

Anyone who wants to help these pups on their road to recovery is asked to make a financial contribution to help care for them. And, while officials have not said what the future holds for the rescued canines, there are already comments on Facebook from people ready to welcome them into their homes.

Wilson and Saez are being held on bonds of $40,000 and $2,500 respectively in the Martin County Jail.