Pit bull puppies left to die in trash bin in Manvel

MANVEL, TX (KTRK) -- There's a growing trend of animal dumping in the small town of Manvel, just south of Houston.

According to Manvel police, one in four animal calls are for animals that have been dumped on the side of the road.

"We have garbage dumped. Stolen vehicles get dumped here too," said Manvel Police Sgt. Russel Adams. "We don't want people dumping their animals here. We don't want them dumping them period."

On Sunday morning, Sgt. Adams said an officer was called out to an animal call. That officer found a crate full of dead pit bull puppies and their mother, which was still alive.

"When the Manvel Police Department brought her in she was scared, a lot of blood," said Alvin Animal Cruelty Officer Tonya Douglas. "She's still distraught. She's still looking for her babies. We're calming her down."

Douglas allowed ABC-13 to visit with the pit bull, now named "Patches." The pitiful was still bleeding from the birth of the puppies.

According to Manvel Police, in 2014 there were about 400 animal calls in which about 100 were for stray or abandoned dogs. Douglas said Alvin is seeing a similar trend.

In another room of the Alvin Animal Shelter, another story of abandonment. Several puppies were huddled by an adoptive Chihuahua who had two puppies of her own. The puppies were found in a basket yesterday at an apartment complex dumpster.

Sgt. Adams is now hoping to use patches case to send a message. He's posted her story on Facebook now looking for her owner. The person who dumped Patches and her puppies could face animal cruelty charges.

"They dumped a crate full of puppies that can't fend for themselves," said Adams.

Another reason why police think more people are dumping animals in Manvel and Alvin is because many animal shelters are full and sometimes turn people away. If you recognize patches the pit bull, please contact the Manvel Police Department.