BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — A man is facing animal cruelty charges following a discovery in the backyard of his Bridgeport home on Tuesday night.
The Bridgeport Fire Department was called to 675 Wayne St. on a report of a potential shed fire in the backyard. When the fire department arrived, the owners of the home, David Valle and Sherry Yasin, would not permit crews to go in the backyard. In fact, the firefighters were allegedly threatened. So, they called for back-up from the police.
"When we went out to assist, police had already arrested one individual (Valle) with another (Yasin) on scene and had discovered that there were animal remains within a smokehouse in the back," said Jennifer Wallace, the Chief Animal Control Officer for Bridgeport.
Investigators also discovered two malnourished, neglected dogs, one of which was locked in a cage full of feces. Those dogs are now being cared for by Bridgeport Animal Control.
As for the remains discovered in the red cinderblock smokehouse?
"When you enter the smokehouse, there were three remains of what we believe are dogs, two adult small breed dogs and one puppy," Wallace said.
Yasin told investigators they were smoking a deer carcass in the building. But, the ACO said only dog remains were present.
Valle, 38, was arrested and charged with two counts of cruelty to animals, one count of reckless burning, interfering with an officer/resisting, breach of peace and threatening. Bond was set at $20,000. He is due in Bridgeport Superior Court Dec. 14.
Yasin, 39, was charged with interfering with an officer/resisting. She was given a written promise to appear.
The remains have been transported to the UConn veterinary medical diagnostic laboratory to determine the exact cause of death.