3 cats, dog abandoned in home

Their names were not released pending arraignment.

Fruitport Township Police were alerted Sept. 5 by a neighbor in the 3300 block of Beechnut Street who was concerned when the animals were left behind, Detective Sgt. Bruce Morningstar said. The animals had reportedly been abandoned up to a week.

“Neighbors concerned about the animals being left without care had given them food and water,” Morningstar said.

Police discovered animal feces that accumulated in the house and on a deck.

The animals were removed from the house by police officers. One of the cats was turned over to a neighbor. The other three animals were taken to the Pound Buddies Animal Shelter and Adoption Center in Muskegon.

A statement from Pound Buddies said: “The two cats were thin and they, along with the dog, were flea-infested and covered with sores. ... They were severely neglected. … The dog was in especially bad shape with raw open sores and missing hair.”

The dog — a spaniel mix — “ended up being put to sleep humanely,” said John Armstrong, a staff member and volunteer at Pound Buddies. “The two cats were adopted through one of the rescue organizations in town.”

Armstrong said the dog had to be kept in a crate.

“It had no socialization whatsoever,” he said. “It was very aggressive toward other dogs. ... It couldn’t have gone to a family."