MUNCIE, Ind. -- A Muncie man will serve one year probation for a 2015 animal cruelty case in which the bodies of 18 dead puppies were removed from his freezer.
Jacob Pelfrey, 25, was charged with seven counts of animal cruelty and one count of failing to register as a dog breeder in May 2015 after Muncie Animal Shelter employees confiscated 46 American bulldogs from his business, Jake's Extreme Pets and Supplies.
The animals were covered in mud and feces and were frightened by the presence of people. At the time, Muncie Animal Control Director Phil Peckinpaugh described the scene as a "dog hell."
"I have been in a lot of situations where I have seen a lot of horrible things and smelled a lot of horrible smells, and this is by far the worst,” Peckinpaugh told RTV6 in 2015.
Inside Pelfrey's home, authorities found the bodies of another 18 dead puppies in Pelfrey's freezer.
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Authorities were tipped off to the situation after a meter reader noticed wounded dogs in Pelfrey's yard and filed a complaint.
On Thursday, Pelfrey pleaded guilty to three counts of cruelty to animals in exchange for dismissal of the remaining charges.
He was sentenced to one year of probation on each of the three charges, to run consecutively with each other. He must also pay a $1 fine and $183 in court costs.
Pelfrey may not have animals in his possession during the term of his probation.
