MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A 21-year-old woman from northeast Miami-Dade’s Biscayne Gardens area was arrested Tuesday, months after deputies say she intentionally left two dogs tied to a bed without food or water, causing them to become “malnourished.”
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Jail records show Cynthia Pierre was taken into custody by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday afternoon and charged with two counts of animal cruelty with intent to injure or kill.
Deputies said an investigation began on Dec. 16, 2024, when officers responded to a home near Northeast 163rd Street after a call reporting that two dogs had been left alone inside a bedroom.
According to an arrest report, Pierre’s sister told officers that she had left the residence on Dec. 11 and never returned, leaving the dogs confined in her bedroom.
She said the animals had been tied to a bed frame with no access to food or water for several days, the report stated.
Responding officers observed both dogs were visibly emaciated, with “ribs and bones showing.”
Deputies said the bedroom was covered in urine and feces, according to the report. The dogs were then confiscated by Miami-Dade Animal Services, and an investigation was launched.
M-DAS later determined that Pierre had a documented history of animal neglect and cruelty, including prior cases involving injuries, bite wounds and the deaths of animals in her care.
She had also previously failed to comply with warnings and citations related to veterinary care, investigators said.
On Jan. 27, authorities said M-DAS filed an emergency petition against Pierre, which was granted by the court.
Investigators said they continued building their case through the spring.
On May 30, Pierre’s sister provided a taped statement confirming Pierre’s identity and detailing how the animals were left in the room with no arrangements made for their care.
She told deputies that she and her family feared the dogs and were unable to enter the bedroom, ultimately deciding to call law enforcement after hearing them barking and detecting a strong odor, according to the report.
When officers located and arrested Pierre on Tuesday at her residence, they said she became “belligerent” and refused to speak to detectives.
Authorities said the suspect’s actions caused “excessive and repeated infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering” to the dogs, who were deprived of basic necessities over the course of a week.
As of Wednesday, Pierre is being held on a $10,000 bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
