Harrah Couple Arrested For Animal Cruelty

A Harrah couple is arrested on 18 counts of animal cruelty.

Police investigated the home Wednesday morning and found four dogs and five puppies in what neighbors called terrible conditions.

News 9's Justin Dougherty spoke with those neighbors who tried saving one of the puppies.

Both neighbors and police said they haven't seen a situation this bad for years.

And we must warn you, some of these images may be graphic.

"The worst thing I've ever seen in my life," said Marcus Smith, a neighbor who tried saving the dogs.

Saying goodbye is never easy.

"We love them it's terrible," said Smith.

Marcus Smith and Kathy Anderson only needed hours to fall in love with one puppy. One they tried saving overnight after they said their neighbor, Veronica Ellis, showed them a plastic bag with the dog inside claiming the dog had died.

"She opened it up and I saw the puppy gasping for and I said that puppies not dead," said Kathy Anderson, neighbor who tried saving the dog.

So Kathy rushed the puppy home and had Ellis bring over the puppy's mom and the four other puppies. And when Kathy saw the mom, she couldn't believe her eyes.

“Her waist was about this round," said Smith.

Not only that but her flesh and stomach were rotting.

“She couldn't even move we carried her out on a gurney and a stretcher,” said Smith.

Kathy cared for the dogs as long as she could, until she had to say goodbye to the puppy giving her a proper burial, cross and all.

Then Kathy knew she had to call animal rescue.

Harrah police were also called and went to the Ellis home where officers found three other dogs in the same condition as the mother.

The dogs were skin and bone, less than a pound of food and no fresh water besides ice in the backyard.

Veronica and her husband David Ellis were arrested on 18 counts of animal cruelty.

The four puppies are in a neo-natal unit, but aren't expected to survive.

And News 9 learned their mom had to say goodbye as well.

"I saw it in her eyes she's ready to give up, it's sad," said Smith.

The three adult dogs are improving and the vets involved say donations are welcomed.

You can find out more information on the Ponca City Humane Society website and/or their Facebook.