Man faces charges, accused of leaving 4 dogs in hot shed without food or water

A man has been arrested after being accused of depriving animals. Deputies say dogs were left in a hot shed without food and water at a Lehigh Acres home.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said an anonymous report of animal neglect was made and Lee County Domestic Animal Services (LCDAS) went to the home on Andora Street twice last week.

“I’d like to thank the anonymous hero that reported this death trap,” Marceno said.

The four dogs range in age from 1 to 10 years old and were locked in kennels inside an unairconditioned locked shed, LCSO said.

Ultimately, the sheriff’s office responded to investigate after LCDAS reported conditions did not improve after their visit.

“These dogs were subjected to hellish conditions while their owner, 23-year-old Donte Sweeting went to work. And went about his day without a care in the world,” Marceno said.

Donte Sweeting, 23, faces four counts of tormenting/depriving an animal.

Marceno said inside the shed it was greater than 111 degrees and the internal temperature of one of the dogs was more than 100 degrees.

There were no indications of dog fighting or breeding Marceno said.

The sheriff added, if Sweeting petitions to get his dog back, “I’m not going to allow that to happen … My legal team will go through the courts. We will petition the courts. And we will fight to keep those dogs from going back to those conditions. And once that process begins, he’s not able to take those dogs and they stay at Domestic Animal Services.

“It’s not just making an arrest. It’s making certain that those dogs don’t go back to those horrific conditions,” Marceno said.

The dogs are currently in the care of LCDAS.

Watch the news conference again in the player below or click here.