By Jeremy Pittari, Item Staff Writer
The Picayune Item
PICAYUNE —
A total of five dogs died or were put down due to the negligence of a Picayune resident.
Picayune Police Officers were called out to an abandoned home at 709 Jarrell St. on Sunday in reference to dogs that had died due to neglect, said Assistant to the Chief of Police Jeremy Magri.
When they arrived the officers found two pit bulls that had passed away, still chained, Magri said. Also found were another pit bull that was only slightly breathing every 30 seconds and two more Labradors who were still alive but noticeably neglected, Magri said.
Near the pit bull that was barely breathing the officers noticed dog food had been freshly laid out, but there was no water. One of the dead pit bulls was covered by a piece of plywood in what appeared to be a dilapidated dog house, Magri said.
The dog that was barely breathing had to be euthanized on scene, the two Labradors were taken to the local animal shelter for care, but they too eventually had to be euthanized due to their condition and suffering, Magri said.
Through an investigation it was determined that 44-year-old Christopher Scott Mickel of 601 Jarrell St., was the owner of the animals and was keeping them at the abandoned family home, Magri said. According to police department records, officers had warned Mickel about the animals being neglected on Dec. 15. It is unclear why no charges were filed during the Dec. 15, visit.
This time Mickel was arrested and charged with five counts of confining an animal without food or water, five counts of failure to provide sustenance, five counts of failure to register dogs with the city and five counts of failure to vaccinate the pets, Magri said. All of the charges are misdemeanors, Magri said.
