Neglected dogs, horses found at Liberty County home recovering

The malnourished animals found packed inside a Liberty County home, where 15 dogs, two horses and a 1-year-old baby were discovered living in filth this week, are getting medical attention as they await future court proceedings to decide their fate.

On Tuesday evening , a 1-year-old baby was found in a dirty, hot house after Liberty County Sheriff's Office officials responded to an animal cruelty report at 105 County Road 2802 in Cleveland. A horse was found dead and other sickly animals were found on the property.

The Houston SPCA rescued the dogs, four of which were puppies, and two horses from the property on Wednesday. Tara Yurkshat, Houston SPCA vice president of animal welfare, said Thursday that each animal is now on an individual medical plan. Many were under-weight, some were heart-worm positive and many had general eye and skin infections. One of the recovered horses has an injury to a hoof.

The animals were visibly underfed when the crews took them from the house, which reeked of a foul stench, with their ribs showing.

Read more: Couple from filthy home on probation over kids

The SPCA is taking care of the animals, now considered wards of the state, while the courts decide the fate of the animals. They are not available for adoption at this time.

"Basically, we are their caretakers until we know the next step for them," Yurkshat said. "They are resting, comfortable, getting food and water and TLC. That's what they really need."

The little girl was also found in the rural house, among trash, roaches, drinking from a dirty bottle with spoiled milk. Her parents were already on probation for a previous injury to a child charge, and had five children taken from their care.

Captain Rex Evans with the Liberty County Sheriff's Office said deputies still consider the child's father Aaron Parker a person of interest and would like to talk to him about the house and his baby. Parker is not considered a suspect at this time. The child's mother Mabel Larsen is in custody facing an animal cruelty charge, with additional charges pending.

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Neglected dogs, horses found at Liberty County home recovering