A Florida couple accused of robbing a hardware store while wearing matching Cookie Monster pajamas have now had their 10 pets taken due to the horrendous conditions they were found in.
Cape Coral Police Department officers were called to a Lowe’s Home Improvement store on Sunday afternoon where loss prevention staff indicated that the pair of Sesame Street fans had taken items without paying, a press release states.
When questioned by loss prevention staff, 22-year-old Charlie Jorge Perez allegedly pulled up his shirt to reveal a handgun in his waistband, and said, “What are you going to do about this?”
As the pair were leaving, 19-year-old Jalina Analise Sepulveda allegedly spit on two loss prevention officers.
Just before 1:00 a.m. the couple was arrested and taken to the Lee County Jail before a search warrant was executed at their home, where police noticed an “overwhelming stench of animal feces and urine” upon entering.
An updated press release from the police department detail the horror they happened upon:
Four mixed-breed French Bulldogs were found in cages in Perez and Sepulveda’s bedroom. The dogs in the bedroom appeared to have been in the cages for some time and were suffering from Dermodectic Mange, a severe skin condition, and had open sores. One of the dog’s toes was stuck in the bottom of the cage and was swollen. There were feces in the water bowls and cages, creating unsanitary conditions for the dogs. A witness told officers they believed the dogs had not been out of their cages for four months.
Lee County Animal Control responded and freed the dog’s foot from the cage. The dogs were removed from their cages, and each one needed assistance. Two had to be carried to the Animal Control van.
Three other dogs and three cats which “appeared to be much healthier” were also found in the home, but all ten animals were seized by Animal Control and brought in for treatment based on the condition of the four caged bulldogs.
“Later, Perez and Sepulveda willingly relinquished the ownership of their animals,” police said.
Perez also claimed that the alleged robbery “was a misunderstanding” and that he only lifted his shirt “to show the employee that he did not steal anything.”
Both Perez and Sepulveda were charged with four counts of animal cruelty, in addition to the robbery charges. Sepulveda also faces a battery charge for the alleged spitting.