Photo: CBS 12
A woman faces charges for dumping several dogs in the woods last month.
Deborah Perez turned herself in to the Martin County Sheriff's Office yesterday.
Nine Lhasa Apsos were dumped in an area off of Cove Road in Stuart and a good Samaritan was able to rescue them.
Sheriff William Snyder tells CBS 12 News that Perez claimed several hardships that prevented her from caring for the dogs, including that she didn't have the money. But, for him, that's no excuse.
"She had reasons to not be able to hold onto the dogs...she had no reason to dump them into the woods like a bag of garbage."
The dogs are in the care of the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast but won't be put up for adoption until the criminal investigation is complete.
Perez is charged with abandonment and is being held on $45,000 bond. That's $5,000 per dog.