A Pembroke Pines man is behind bars on animal cruelty charges after police found three dogs left outside in dangerously cold conditions.
A neighbor called 911 after spotting three underweight puppies shivering on a balcony during freezing weather.
While their former owner remains in a Broward County jail, the dogs are now in foster care through Pooches in Pines.
“When I saw their condition, it was just devastating and heart-wrenching—how skinny and emaciated they are,” said Angela Goodwin, president of Pooches in Pines.
Pembroke Pines police responded Sunday night to an apartment at 1152 Southwest 122nd Avenue, where they discovered the three dogs confined inside a four-by-five-foot crate.
The animals included a two-year-old French bulldog and two pit bull mix puppies, both under one year old.
According to the arrest report, the responding officer noted that the dogs’ bone structure was clearly visible, including their ribs, spine, and midsection.
At the time authorities were called, the temperature outside was 40 degrees, with a “feels like” temperature of just 23 degrees.
Police said 24-year-old Jaylen Holmes deprived the dogs of food and water and left them in a crate filled with urine and feces.
“Two of them are anemic. One has a dangerously low red blood cell count and may need a transfusion if she doesn’t improve—that’s the Frenchie. And this little girl, they said if another 24 hours had passed, she wouldn’t have made it,” Goodwin said.
Although the dogs are now safe with foster families, Holmes faces multiple charges, including confining animals without adequate food or water, keeping animals in an enclosure without proper exercise or air, and tormenting or depriving an animal.
Holmes was granted bond on the charges involving the puppies but remains in custody due to a prior case for which he was already out on bond.
“One is for domestic battery. Based on the new law violation, we request that supervision in that case be revoked,” a prosecutor said in open court.
Holmes is scheduled to appear before another judge to determine whether the previous order keeping him in custody will stand.
As part of his bond conditions, Holmes is prohibited from owning animals.