2 people arrested after officers found dead, malnourished dog in Weston

WESTON, W.Va (WDTV) – Two people were arrested after officers found a dead dog lying across a tree in Weston earlier this month.

Tiffany Wood, 32, and John Ables, 47, were arrested and each charged with five counts of cruelty to animals, according to the Lewis County Sheriff's Office.

Officers rushed to the couple's home on Sand Run Road with Lewis County Animal Control and found a dog that appeared to have been suffocated and was lying over a tree. Upon further investigation, they found four cats locked in a cage with feces everywhere and no food or water, officials said.

Animal control officers seized all five animals and took the dead dog to the Lewis Mobile Veterinary Service in Jane Lew for examination. The veterinarian told officers that the dead dog was infested with live fleas, had overly long claws, and had been emaciated, malnourished, and seriously ill for an extended period of time.

Ables and Wood are both currently being held at the Central Regional Jaw with bail set at $5,000 each.

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