Newalla man arrested on 28 counts of animal cruelty

NEWALLA, Okla. (KFOR) — A 63-year-old man has been arrested on animal cruelty charges after over two dozen dogs were reportedly found abandoned on his Newalla property.

The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office says that a concerned citizen reported several unattended dogs on the property on Tuesday. When detectives arrived, they said several emaciated dogs as well as a dead dog could be seen from the road, lying between two travel trailers.

While executing a search warrant the next morning, detectives reportedly saw several loose dogs without fresh water. Several other dogs were allegedly locked inside dilapidated travel trailers with no water and limited ventilation.

Small amounts of dry dog food was reportedly scattered on the ground, but most of it was said to be contaminated with dirt and feces.

All of the living dogs on the property were removed with the assistance of Norman Animal Welfare and other animal welfare organizations. According to the CCSO, most of the dogs were in poor condition; some were sick while others were infested with fleas.

CCSO detectives later tracked down property owner Russell Lee Lambert, who they say admitted to abandoning the dogs on the property after moving away.

Lambert was charged with 28 counts of animal cruelty, one count of leaving a carcass within a quarter mile of an occupied dwelling, and one count of operating a dumping facility without a license.

The CCSO say a total of 26 living dogs were rescued and two dog carcasses were found. The rescued dogs are now under the care of the Oklahoma Humane Society and the Oklahoma Animal Alliance.