Deputies: Dog owner charged with 7 counts of animal abandonment

Dog dead, others without food, water, Clay County authorities say

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – A woman is charged with seven counts of animal abandonment after authorities found a dead dog and several others without food and water, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.

Mandy Sue Tedder, 34, surrendered herself to Clay County authorities Thursday afternoon after investigators called Tedder to let her know a warrant had been issued for her arrest. As of Friday morning, Tedder had already bonded out of jail. 

The warrant was signed by a judge on Monday, but the investigation began in December.

According to the six-page arrest warrant, on Dec. 9, a Clay County Animal Control officer was dispatched to a home on Taylor Road, near the intersection of U.S. 301 and County Road 218, to investigate a case of animal neglect.

The warrant stated that both the officer and a Clay County deputy found the body of a dog in the front yard of the home.

Authorities said they found another dog tightly tethered to the porch without food and water. The warrant noted that animal appeared to be severely malnourished and emaciated.

According to the warrant, there were also two additional untethered dogs on the property. Authorities said they were both severely emaciated and one of the two was hiding under a pile of garbage on the front porch.

Upon further investigation, according to the warrant, the officer and deputy located five more dogs inside the locked, abandoned home.

Investigators noted in the warrant that the home had no running water or electricity. They also noted there was no food or water the dogs could access. 

Authorities said they seized the dogs, which they said belonged to Tedder. The dogs have since been adopted, Animal Control said.

A nearby neighbor, who wished to not be identified, told News4Jax that Animal Control has been called to the property several times.

"A little over a year ago, they were out here and took probably 16 out of the house that hadn't been out of the house in over a year," the neighbor said. 

When News4Jax stopped by the Taylor Road home late Friday evening, there were four more dogs tethered outside. One of the dogs was trying to bite through a metal chain.

The Sheriff's Office and Animal Control were notified. 

One deputy looked through the front window of the home and counted 12 more dogs inside. Animal Control decided not to confiscate the animals because they didn’t appear to be in imminent danger. 

According to Animal Control, Tedder is still under investigation, which means more charges could be filed in the case. Animal Control also said the dogs found Friday on the property will be added to the investigation. 

News4Jax spoke by phone with Tedder on Friday, but she did not wish to comment about the charges. She said, however, the dogs currently on her property do not belong to her and that she is trying to sell the property. 


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