24 Cats, 4 Dogs Found In 'Unspeakable' Conditions Inside U-Haul

HOLLYWOOD, FL — A Florida man was arrested over the weekend after police found four dogs and 24 cats in what they described as "unspeakable" conditions inside a hot U-Haul moving truck parked along a Hollywood street.

Forty-seven-year-old Marlon A. Flores, was taken into custody on 87 animal related charges after police found the truck in the 6200 block of Tyler Street around 9 p.m. Saturday. The roll up door was raised about 3 to 4 feet and secured with a rope, according to police who said the truck had an Arizona license plate.

"Many of the animals were covered in urine and feces and did not have access to food or water," explained Miranda Grossman of the Hollywood Police Department. "Animal Control responded to retrieve the animals."

Flores was charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty, unlawful confinement and no proof of vaccinations.

Arrest documents said Flores drove up to the truck while officers were conducting their investigation and told police he was rescuing the animals and did not want them to end up in the Humane Society.

He allegedly denied that the animals belonged to him.

Flores told police that he had been evicted from his home in the 2900 block of Johnson Street on March 30. Police did not know when he rented the U-Haul.

"Defendant took the cats to Fort Pierce and placed them into an empty lot in the same crates they are in now," according to arrest documents. "Defendant stated they were left in a lot without shelter."

Court documents said that Animal Control officials in Fort Pierce spoke with Flores before he drove the truck to Hollywood on Friday.

The documents also said that two of the dogs had been placed in the same cage and did not appear to have sufficient room to turn around.

"Any reasonable person should be able to recognize the repeated infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering of these animals and, or would know unnecessary pain and suffering was occurring," court documents explained. "These cages were measured and not acceptable for housing these animals."

Police said two of the cats escaped from their crates during the investigation.