Animal Control investigating dead dogs on Hidden Valley property

After a resident reported neglected and dead dogs on a Hidden Valley property, the county is investigating.

A passerby reported the situation Sunday, describing two dead dogs, one of which was decapitated. Pinal County Animal Care and Control responded Monday morning.

“This is a heartbreaking sight,” said Animal Care and Control Director Audra Michael. “The deceased dogs were in such an advanced state of decay that we wouldn’t be able to determine a cause of death. We also did not have a search warrant so we could not enter the property. But what we saw from our vantage point, the other dogs appeared to have no obvious signs of distress.”

But the person who reported the situation said one dog was limping and a pregnant dog was being attacked by the others. Neighbors warned her away from the Stonebluff Road property, calling it a dangerous situation.

PCACC reported several dogs within the fenced property. The owner of the property was not present at the time officers arrived to the scene.

The reporting party described the house door being propped open so the dogs could go in and out. Neighbors told her the owner and breeder of the dogs did not live there but came by to feed them.

Michael said her officers are working with the County Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office to determine what the next steps will be in this situation.