© Provided by WBOY Clarksburg West Virginia couple arrested for cruelty after severely injured sheep, other animals found on property
VALLEY HEAD, W.Va. (WBOY) – A Randolph County couple is facing multiple counts of animal cruelty charges after deputies say one or both of them failed to provide sustenance, shelter and/or medical care to several dogs, a kitten and a severely injured sheep.
It happened on Wednesday, Oct. 26, but the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office just announced the case on Thursday.
According to the criminal complaints against Charles and Leila Lansberry, the sheriff’s office was called to their Valley Head property after someone saw multiple neglected animals.
The responding deputy found a Dachshund puppy with a small amount of water and no food, a Pitbull mix in a small, dirty cage with no food or water, two dogs chained to trees with no food, and a kitten and border collie in the garage, which had no visible food or water in it, according to the complaint.
A fenced area next to the home also had a mini cow that looked “very underweight,” two goats and two sheep. The deputy detailed in the complaint that one of the sheep had injured legs and could not walk. According to a press release from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, it was reported that the sheep was attacked by a dog, and it was left to suffer for a full day; the responding deputy was “forced to end the suffering of this sheep.”
There were also decaying remains of multiple types of animals throughout the property, including two decaying calves lying next to the creek, the complaint alleges.
According to the criminal complaints against Charles and Leila, they are both charged with animal cruelty. They are both facing five counts for allegedly withholding sustenance for the Pit mix, two dogs that were tied up out back, Dachshund and kitten; one count for allegedly withholding shelter for the Pit mix; and one count for allegedly mistreating an animal in a cruel manner for the Dachshund. The complaint against Charles includes a charge for allegedly failing to provide medical care for the sheep and two counts for allegedly depositing dead animals near a waterway.
Neither of them were listed on the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s website as of Thursday.
Copyright 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.