A Raleigh woman faces six counts of animal cruelty after deputies found three dead dogs and multiple neglected animals inside her home Friday.
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The Wake County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that deputies were called to assist Wake County Animal Control with a report of alleged animal abuse at the home of Karen Tupman, 66, on Pendleton Lake Road.
What they found was “so shockingly vile” that deputies said “describing it doesn’t do it justice,” court records state.
When they arrived, the deputies struggled to open the door because the house was so full of “hoarder” items, according to court documents. One deputy said the stench made her eyes water.
Inside, deputies found three “skeletonized” dogs — one of which had been dead for over a year — in a cage full of feces. Two of the dead dogs were unidentified, records show. One was a Yorkie named Mazie.
Animal Control found three other dogs and two cats and removed them from the property. They included a tuxedo kitten named Biscuit, a gray and white kitten named Gravy and a striped kitten named Waffle, according to court documents.
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“It appears the defendant subjected multiple animals to shocking conditions of suffering that eventually caused death,” court records state.
Deputies said that over the past few weeks, Tupman had tried to obtain more animals. But in the process, she took some of the animals she already had to the vet, where technicians found they were significantly underweight.
A judicial official urged a judge to deny Tupman bail given the severity of the abuse that deputies discovered.
“In considering the appropriate conditions of release, the defendant’s lack of criminal history and ties to the community weigh in favor of the defendant,” the official wrote. “Nevertheless, the allegations and evidence raise serious concerns about what might happen if the defendant were released on less restrictive conditions.”
Tupman is being held in Wake County custody on $50,000 bail. She appeared in court Monday afternoon.
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