FRESNO, CA. (KMJ) – A Fresno couple has been charged after officials say they neglected four pit bulls.
The pit bulls were found in March 2016 at a property on N. Ellendale Avenue.
According to the Central California SPCA, humane officers found four pit bulls with significant hair loss, as well as inflammation, ocular discharge, bloody wounds and were found to be lethargic the property.
Humane officers say the owners of the dogs, Sylvia Josephine Sanchez and her boyfriend, Jeff Bray, admitted that the dogs were suffering and had been for a number of months.
The couple said they did not have money to provide them with proper treatment, but were left with a Notice of Violation that allowed them 48 business hours to seek medical treatment for all four dogs.
When humane officers returned to the property on Wednesday, March 16, 2016, only one dog, named Blue, had been seen by a veterinarian.
The other three (below) were seized by the CCSPCA.
With further investigation, it was found that Blue (below) had been suffering from Demodex Mange since he was about four months old.
Following a progress check-up in February of 2017, humane officers found Blue’s condition to be much worse than it had been 11 months prior.
CCSPCA says Sanchez admitted that Blue had not been seen by a vet since the day the other dogs were taken by the CCSPCA.
Additionally, Blue’s prescribed medication from the 2016 visit was found with medication still in the bottle.
Blue was then taken by the CCSPCA and has remained in care of the CCSPCA since then.
On August 23, Sylvia Josephine Sanchez and Jeff Bray were sentenced to five years of felony probation for violating Penal Code 597.
Defendant Bray was also ordered to pay restitution and must complete 30 days of the Adult Offender Work Program.
Defendant Sanchez will also pay restitution.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
