Police in New Smyrna, Florida, heard what sounded like "an individual yelling" from inside the back of an abandoned truck. When officers opened the vehicle, they found a menagerie of animals inside.
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The Owner of the Truck Was Arrested
As Fox 35 Orlando reports, cops discovered chickens, rats, tortoises, and snakes in their cages. The truck had no climate control or ventilation. According to the report, the animals also had no access to heat, lighting, food, or water.
The New Smyrna Police Department believes the truck sat for 10 to 12 hours. It had reportedly broken down the night before. The owner told employees to leave it where it was.
Police said one of the three rats in the truck was found dead.
Raymond Welch was arrested on Oct. 6 on charges of animal cruelty and aggravated animal cruelty, according to records. The owner of "Purple Pirates Circus Sideshow," a small traveling circus, was booked into the Volusia County Jail.
"During an interview with investigators, Welch acknowledged ownership of the animals and told officers he had left them inside the vehicle unattended since the previous night," said police.
What Happened to the Animals?
Police said they took the two chickens and the remaining rats to Edgewater Animal Shelter. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) took in the two tortoises and boa constrictors.
Meanwhile, the FWC is also pursuing charges against Welch.
Separately, this report comes several weeks after authorities raided Linda Blair's home as part of an ongoing operation into an illegal kennel.
In a video posted on social media, the horror actress said she views the raid on her home as a good thing because of the massive "worldwide press" the animals have received.
"This has been quite the experience, and I look at it as a positive," she said. "We now have more light shed on animal welfare and animal rescue and the plight of the animals than ever before."
