Animal rescuers describe disturbing conditions of The Colony home: 'Dead cats in the freezer'

The owners of The Colony home where 88 animals were seized last week tried to defend themselves before a municipal judge on Tuesday. 

But ultimately, the judge ruled the animals were treated cruelly and gave custody of the animals to The Colony's animal shelter.

Animal Cruelty Hearing

What we know:

Some of what came out in court on Tuesday was extremely graphic.

FOX 4 was not allowed to have a camera in the courtroom as the city attorney showed 154 photos that, in his words, would shock the conscience. 

The most horrific photos shown were of 21 dead cats that were found in trash bags in Brandy and Jeremey Bristol's freezer. 

It was revealed in court that the couple’s own high school-aged children reported them to The Colony Animal Services. 

Video showed them entering the courtroom and representing themselves.

They hoped to regain custody of six animals, which is the maximum allowed under The Colony city rules.

88 Animals Seized in The Colony

The backstory:

Last week, The Colony Animal Services rescued 24 dogs, 45 cats, 12 reptiles and seven mice from a home on the 4800 block of Alta Oaks Lane.

The dogs seized ranged from small to as large as a bull mastiff. Some of the cats were kittens. The reptiles included snakes, turtles and tortoises.

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'Deplorable conditions': 88 animals rescued from The Colony home receiving vet care

The Colony is investigating if charges will be filed against the owners of 88 animals seized from a home on Tuesday. An additional 22 animals were found dead inside the house.

Sgt. James Barfield with The Colony Police Department was one of the officers who responded to the home. He described the conditions inside the house.

"They were, I would call them deplorable. They were some of the worst conditions that I’ve ever seen inside of a house. Pretty much every room of the house had animals in it. They were not being cared for properly," he said.

Deplorable Conditions

Photos used as evidence in court showed feces on the floor and walls of the home.

The city also showed photos of dogs in crates that were too small for them, as well as multiple cats sharing small crates.

The director of The Colony Animal Services testified that many of the seized animals had eyes sealed shut and respiratory problems due to the high amount of ammonia in the air due to urine. 

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Mark Cooper testified the home was not healthy for pets or people to live in.

What's next:

The judge ultimately ruled that the animals were treated cruelly in accordance with the Texas Health and Safety code.

The judge also gave custody of all the animals, including the six that the couple had hoped to regain custody of, to The Colony animal shelter and other nonprofit animal welfare organization.

"We are relieved these animals will get the care, health, and future they deserve," said Jennifer Rainey, a spokesperson for The Colony.

At this time, no charges have been filed.

Sgt. Bartfield said that's because the animals are still receiving medical evaluations, and they are also waiting on necropsy results. 

He said the possible charges against the owners could range from a class A misdemeanor to a third-degree felony.

The Source: Information in this article comes from Tuesday's court hearing, The Colony Police Department, the city of The Colony and previous FOX 4 reports.

The ColonyPets and AnimalsCrime and Public Safety