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Officials say the investigation began after Antonio and Jocilyn Delua brought two dead dogs to a vet’s office to be cremated without disclosing what happened.
CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — A couple is facing 80 total charges following a monthslong investigation into animal cruelty allegations, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) announced Tuesday.
Investigators say Antonio Delua, 26, and Jocilyn Delua, 24, each face 40 charges and were arrested and booked into the Clay County Jail on Tuesday.
The sheriff’s office said on Nov. 27, 2024, members from the CCSO, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Clay County Animal Services responded to a home on Ashton Street and seized dozens of animals living in deplorable conditions.
Nearly 40 animals, including lizards and prairie dogs, were seized from the Middleburg home. In total, officials seized 25 dogs, 10 reptiles and two prairie dogs from the home. All of the animals are in “different stages of health,” officials said.
The couple’s arrest came after investigators said they brought two dead dogs to a Clay County veterinarian’s office requesting for them to be cremated, without providing any information about what happened.
The couple was arrested by the CCSO Fugative Unit following an investigation and medical examination of all the animals, the sheriff’s office said.
Each suspect faces 10 aggravated animal cruelty charges, 29 animal cruelty charges and one charge of petit theft.
The couple is being held on a $100,090 bond.
