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Puppies forced to be euthanized after man found selling them out of purse in Florida

Medical staff examined the puppies and advised that they were severely dehydrated and had been infected with the parvo-virus.

A 20-year-old suspect has been charged with animal cruelty after deputies say he was selling severely dehydrated and malnourished puppies out of a bag in St. Johns County, Fla.

The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office says that they responded to the Lewis Point Plaza located at 2435 US-1 in reference to a man going into businesses attempting to sell puppies. That man was later identified as Malachi Dentry.

Deputies say when they found Dentry, he was carrying a closed women's black purse. SJSO says that Dentry was evasive with his answers about the purse and hesitant to admit he had animals inside it. 

Inside the bag, deputies observed two white and brown small puppies, approximately three-to-four weeks old, bunched together. Deputies say there was no water in the purse, nor was there any type of ventilation. There was an empty formula bottle inside the purse that the puppies appeared to be licking. 

Dentry's wife told SJSO that the puppies were given to them by someone in the parking lot of the Lewis Point Plaza, with instructions to sell them. They agreed to split the profits from the puppy sales. 

Because Dentry and his wife, Erika, are homeless and unable to provide care based on the conditions that the puppies were found in, deputies seized the dogs and took them to the St Johns County Pet Center. There, medical staff examined the puppies and advised that they were severely dehydrated and had been infected with the parvo-virus.

Based on the poor treatment of the puppies and their condition, they had to be euthanized by Animal Control. 

Malachi was placed under arrest for two counts of animal cruelty and transported to the St. John's County Jail.

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