A man is under arrest and three animals are in a shelter after police responding to a complaint about a foul odor emanating from a Livermore apartment discovered the home "covered in filth and garbage."
Jerry Ramos, 49, was arrested for animal neglect Wednesday at his home in the 1000-block of Murrieta Boulevard, according to Livermore police. Three animals, a 1-year-old French bulldog, a 14-year-old Yorkshire terrier and a white Persian cat, were treated at a veterinarian hospital and transported to the East County Animal Shelter in Dublin.
"The apartment doorways were blocked with garbage filled bags and clutter," Livermore police said in a release. "The animals were allowed to urinate and defecate all over the apartment, so the entire surfaces of the floors were covered in waste."
In June, Livermore Animal Control received the first call about "an overwhelming odor of feces and urine coming from the apartment," the release said. Animal Control was unable to get inside the home but "could see an accumulation of feces on the balcony."
Animal Control launched an animal abuse investigation, but according to police, each time Ramos agreed to meet with Animal Control the homeowner would cancel the appointment.
On Wednesday, police said, Ramos was inside his apartment when officers showed up to serve a search warrant but initially refused to answer the door. Police forced the door open and "were immediately overcome by the smell of urine and feces."
Ramos’s apartment was condemned by code enforcement.
A Livermore police spokesperson said the bulldog appeared to have open sores on its back that should heal. The other animals did not appear to have any injuries.
The animals will not be released back to Ramos, Livermore police said.
