A woman has been arrested after 37 dogs were discovered dead at a property in Basildon, England.
On Wednesday, June 4, Essex Police issued a press release confirming that a 25-year-old London woman had been charged with animal cruelty.
According to the BBC, the animals were discovered at an address believed to be an animal shelter.
“A woman has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty as part of Basildon Neighborhood Policing Team’s ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the discovery of 37 dead dogs in Billericay,” according to a news release.
Officials added, “Working with the RSPCA, we assisted in the recovery of 21 live animals.” This discovery came after Essex Police, the RSPCA, and Basildon Council visited a property in Crays Hill last month.
“The 25-year-old woman from London was arrested this afternoon (Wednesday 4 June) and is currently in police custody,” said the investigating officer.
According to the statement, Essex Police and the RSPCA are conducting additional investigations at the address. This happened after officers got “information received by a member of the public.”
Essex Police told PEOPLE in a statement that the woman has been released on conditional bail, but that the investigation is still ongoing.
PEOPLE also contacted the RSPCA for further information, but they did not respond immediately.
“The remains of four further animals were identified when buildings were dismantled by the landowner, with liaison with Essex Police, since the original scene was stood down on 14 May,” the statement said.
Authorities also stated that they were removing the remains, with the Basildon Neighborhood Policing Team determining whether there was any connection to the police investigation.
We understand the local community’s concerns. We would like to request that people refrain from speculation and instead allow us to conduct our complex and thorough investigations,” said Inspector Steve Parry of the Basildon Neighborhood Policing Team in a statement.
Authorities previously announced that they had arrested two men on “suspicion of fraud, relating to the transfer of ownership of dogs, and animal cruelty offenses.”
While one of the suspects was released on conditional bail, Ovaeed Rahman, 25, was charged with “causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, an offence contrary to Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the duty of the person responsible for the animal to ensure welfare, and three counts of fraud by false representation.”
He also appeared in Southend Magistrates’ Court on May 15 and will remain in custody until his next hearing, which will be held at Basildon Crown Court on June 9, according to the BBC.
“Since the creation of a dedicated portal through which the public can submit reports, we’ve seen a large number of submissions, and each submission is being reviewed by officers,” according to a release from authorities issued on May 16.
