COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — An investigation is underway after three young children and more than 30 pets were rescued from "deplorable conditions" in a Commerce City home, the police department announced Thursday morning.
Officers with the Commerce City Police Department were called to the home, which is along the 10200 block of E. 113th Avenue, after one of the residents, Demetrio Urbina, 38, attempted an unlicensed veterinary procedure on a dog that ended up dying, police said.
He lived at the house with his 32-year-old wife Araceli Urbina, their three children and dozens of pets, including mostly dogs and puppies, but also cats and guinea pigs, police said. The dogs and puppies were mostly contained in small cages in their garage.
Police served a search warrant on Wednesday and removed 31 dogs and puppies, as well as the other animals. A deceased dog was found in an outside trash can. The surviving animals were brought to multiple animal shelters.
Limited information was available on the children, who are ages 3 to 10 years old, but Child Protective Services is involved in the case. The children were removed from the home.
The Urbinas will face several charges, including felony animal cruelty, child abuse, practicing a profession without a license and operating a pet facility without a license. More charges are possible, as this is an open investigation.
Multiple neighbors were outside their homes watching the scene unfold on Wednesday and told authorities they had been concerned about what was happening in the house.
Adams County Animal Control, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Department of Agriculture are also involved in this investigation.
No other information was available Thursday afternoon.
