A Palm Bay woman faces multiple animal cruelty charges after patrol officers found more than a dozen animals neglected and abandoned inside a Palm Bay residence.

  (Photo Courtesy of Palm Bay Police)  Christine Hogle, 31, faces 17 counts of animal cruelty after Palm Bay police discovered dogs, cats and other animals apparently left to fend for themselves in home reeking of animal waste.

The discovery came at a residence in the 2300 block of Coconut Palm, officials said.

Five dogs, eight cats, a rabbit and a gecko lizard were taken out of the home. Two dead hamsters were also found inside and at least one dog appeared to be emaciated, officials said.

(Photo's Courtesy of Palm Bay Police) 

“It was bad. There was feces everywhere ... when you opened the door you could smell it around the corner,” said Steve Shytle of the Palm Bay Police Department.

Hogle, the granddaughter of the vacationing homeowner, was supposed to take care of the animals while the homeowner was visiting New York. The homeowner, who officials said had no idea that the animals were living in the condition discovered, has been gone since early December, officials said.

(Photo's Courtesy of Palm Bay Police) 

“The neighbors called police and said they hadn’t seen the resident in a couple of weeks,” Shytle said. “When we got there, we could hear the dogs inside going crazy.”

Brevard County Animal Services officers were called to help retrieve the animals.

(Photo's Courtesy of Palm Bay Police) 

Update 1/20/10:  A Palm Bay woman faces 17 felony counts of animal cruelty after officers found more than a dozen pets living in a filthy home today, police said.

Officers were called to a house in the 2300 block of Coconut Palm Drive 7:30 a.m. after a concerned neighbor asked them to check on the residence, police said. Aggressive dogs stopped them from entering, so police called Brevard County Animal Control for help.

Photos of some of the animals showed their fur was matted with animal waste.

Hogle is the granddaughter of the homeowner.  The homeowner left in early December to visit relatives in New York. Hogle was supposed to take care of the pets, police said.

Hogle told police she cleaned the house four times a week. Hogle was arrested on third-degree felony counts of animal cruelty. She remains in Brevard County Jail on $34,000 bail.

The animals were taken to Brevard County Animal Service's South Animal Care Center.

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