SUFFOLK, Va. (WVEC) — Jacob Richard Romes Chappell, a 25-year-old Suffolk man, has been arrested on animal cruelty and other charges stemming from an investigation that began on July 3, 2018.
Chappell is being charged with a total of 15 counts of animal cruelty, 11 counts of fail to care for animals, and torture dog or cat causing death.
The investigation into the 25-year-old started when Suffolk Animal Control responded to his home in the 5800 block of Mineral Spring Road in order to perform a welfare check on dogs and a dog was found dead in one of the pens.
In addition, officials also noticed a dog with a heat-related health emergency and barely able to stand. The dogs were not provided with water or shelter inside the pen.
Officials seized the animal and took it to a local veterinarian for emergency care while the deceased pet was sent for a necropsy to determine the cause of death.
More dogs on the residence were taken by officials due to the threat to their immediate health and safety as they were kept in pens with little to no shelter on concrete or dirt floors with limited access to water during extreme heat conditions.
Suffolk Animal Care has custody of the dogs and they will be available for adoption when they are ready.
