Florida woman arrested after nearly 20 starving animals saved from home, deputies say

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Nearly 20 animals starving and living in filth were confiscated from a home in Melbourne this week. The homeowner was taken into custody on several animal abuse charges. 

Deputies confiscated a golden retriever named Sunny, two birds, and more than a dozen cats from a home on Coventry Street in Melbourne.

Every animal was starving to death and living in the worst conditions, with urine, feces, and trash lining the home, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. 

If deputies didn’t get an anonymous tip about animals in danger, court documents say several could have died in a matter of weeks. 

On Monday, Sheriff Wayne Ivey shared disturbing pictures of one of the animals, including a golden retriever believed to be about 10 years old.   

Deputies say "Sunny" was starving and losing her hair.

Sheriff Ivey described the dog as "hairless and had flea nests the size of a golf ball."

Brevard sheriff's deputies took pictures when they went inside the home after a person called in a complaint that animals were in danger.

Court documents say they could smell urine from outside when they visited on several occasions earlier in August, trying to make contact with the homeowner. 

"If I had my way about it, she’d get treated just like these animals did," said the sheriff. 

Patricia Merrill, 75, was arrested and walked into the Brevard County jail by Sheriff Ivey on Monday. 

She’s charged with 18 counts of felony animal cruelty and unlawful confinement.

"I don’t feel sorry for her," said the sheriff. "I don’t care. She’s going to jail. She let 18 animals suffer at her hands."

She saw a judge on Tuesday to answer for the charges.

"Miss Merrill, you do qualify as a public defender. I’ll go ahead and appoint a public defender," said the judge during the hearing. 

The suspect didn’t say much to the judge during the hearing, which lasted only a few minutes.  

"Am I done," the suspect asked. "Yes, you are done," said the judge after keeping her bond at $63,000. 

In court documents, Merrill told investigators she didn’t have enough time to clean her home and that the property had not had running water for two years.

She admitted to deputies she should have been feeding her animals more often.

"These people are sorry individuals that can’t do what they’re supposed to do, can’t do what’s responsible," said the sheriff. 

Neighbors in the area say code enforcement has been to the property several times.

FOX 35 saw overgrown grass in the backyard, but the neighbors say they never knew how bad things really were inside.

"What they found were deplorable conditions," concluded the sheriff. 

Her next court date is September 17. FOX 35 also contacted Melbourne police about the code enforcement concerns at the property. At this time, we are still waiting for a response on how many issues they are investigating.