A man in Louisiana was arrested on charges of animal cruelty on Friday after a report of alleged animal neglect described by a local citizen as "horrifying."

Deputies from the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Office (NPSO) responded to a complaint at approximately 7:15 p.m. on August 23, 2024, at a residence in the 100 block of Pecan Court in the Cedar Grove Subdivision, near Natchitoches, Louisiana.

The complaint centered on two pit bull dogs at the home that had been reported to appear severely malnourished.

When deputies arrived at the location they say they found nobody home and saw dogs chained to a fence with no access to food or water. The dogs were described by the officers as "weak," with their "ribs and spines clearly visible," with one noted as having "flesh scabs."

The dogs appeared not to have eaten in several days and were living in what deputies described as "deplorable conditions," according to the report. NPSO Animal Services Unit were called to the scene and the dogs were taken for medical attention.

An investigation led to the owner being identified as Alvin Metoyer. The animal services unit requested he meet them at the residence where he arrived shortly before 9 p.m. When he arrived, police said Metoyer stated the dogs were not eating because they had been sick.

After his statement, Meteoyer was arrested and booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center where he faces charges of two counts of cruelty to animals.

The investigation is ongoing.

Animal Cruelty in the U.S.

The incident comes amid an ongoing trend in the U.S.

According to a 2023 study by researchers Piers Beirne and Michael Lynch, the number of reported animal cruelty cases in the U.S. surged from just over 1,100 in 2016 to nearly 11,000 in 2020. The researchers, however, caution that animal abuse is likely underreported and the actual number of cases could potentially be much higher.

The FBI also estimates the actual number of animal cruelty cases in the U.S. could be much higher. According to Beirne and Lynch in 2020, the estimated number of incidents, accounting for underreporting, could be around 14,454 cases, which they note could still be an underestimation.

Research also suggests a significant correlation between animal cruelty and domestic violence, with estimates indicating that a number of domestic violence cases also involve animal cruelty.

Across the country, 49 states have laws to provide felony penalties for animal torture on the first offense, with only Iowa not having such a law. These laws generally cover both intentional and egregious animal neglect and abuse.