A 26-year-old man is facing multiple felony counts of cruelty to animals after admitting that three malnourished dogs under his care had not been fed in days and had not been provided water while being kept outside.
Zachary Michael Crain was arrested on Wednesday, August 16, by Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputies on three counts of felony cruelty to an animal and three counts of unlawful confinement/abandonment of an animal.
Deputies were contacted by the city of Deltona Animal Control after they impounded two dogs that were known to the organization due to previous escapes.
According to animal control staff, the dogs, known as “Dolly” and “Buttercup,” had been in a “healthier state” when they were picked up in the past, which prompted staff to contact the owners. When they were unable to reach the owners, staff contacted law enforcement and expressed concern for the “wellbeing of the dogs” and any other animals that may have been at the property.
After VCSO deputies were able to see the dogs in person, they visited Crain’s home in Deltona. Crain’s wife refused to answer the door to deputies, who waited for Crain to return home instead. While they were waiting, a large pizza was delivered to the residence.
During an interview with Crain, he told authorities that the dogs do not have a veterinarian and that they live in an outside enclosure in the backyard and “do not come inside the house.”
Crain told authorities that he has been struggling financially and he had to choose between feeding his dogs and his three children, whose ages range from one month to four years old. He told police he normally buys a fifty pound bag of dog food, but had not bought one in around five weeks.
Crain told police that he would sometimes feed the dogs rice, but advised that the last time they had been fed was two and a half days prior.
A third dog, Joker, was found at the property in a similar state to the two other dogs that were at the shelter. After deputies determined that animal control would have to take custody of Joker, one of the deputy’s offered to buy dog food.
That deputy returned to the home with a bag of food and was called a “shitty cop” by Crain’s wife when he offered to give the food to Joker.
Crain was arrested and, while he was being transported to the Volusia County Jail, he told police that his wife had no knowledge of the dogs not being cared for, as she was a “stay at home mother and constantly with their children.” Crain told deputies that he would lie to his wife about feeding the dogs.
Crain also discussed his bond with authorities, telling them that he “had the money for the 10% bail” as they had been saving up to do something as a family.
Crain’s bond was set at $9,000 and he made bail less than three and a half hours after he was booked into jail.
Earlier this month, 24-year-old Quaid Michael Carpenter was arrested on multiple counts of animal abuse after a rotting dog, whose corpse was filled with maggots, as well as two other emaciated dogs were found in an abandoned home filled with feces, urine, and rotting food.