Two men are facing animal cruelty charges after they allegedly abandoned two puppies Tuesday on Charleston's West Side.
Hakeem Ford, 22, and Jonathan Williams, 29, abandoned the pit bulls in an alley, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court.
A tip led Charleston Patrolman Jacob Cooper to find the dogs behind Andrews Floor Covering Company on Central Avenue, according to the complaint.
One of the dogs died before Cooper arrived, and he found the other puppy hiding under a dumpster. Cooper named her Bluebell.
Ford and Williams had placed the puppies in a storage tote and left them without food or water, the complaint states. The temperature outside that day was 87 degrees.
The complaint says, "They admitted to leaving the puppies in the alley to die after attempting to get medical treatment for them."
A nearby surveillance camera recorded video of the alley. However, another tip led police to the suspects on Friday, according to the complaint.
Ford and Williams were charged with two counts each of cruelty to animals. Each remained incarcerated at the South Central Regional Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail Friday afternoon.
The Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association is treating Bluebell for dehydration and emaciation, the organization said in a Facebook post.
"Bluebell is with us now, and recovering beautifully," another post said.
The humane association is asking for donations to help cover Bluebell's medical expenses.
Contributions can be made at adoptcharleston.com/give, where donors should write "for Bluebell" in the memo line.