Let’s take a stroll back to 2014.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio confirmed that the son of U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz), Austin Flake, and his wife Logan were in charge when 20 dogs died at an Arizona boarding house last week and pledged a “thorough investigation” into the incident.
“The caretakers were the Senator’s son and his wife,” Arpaio told reporters at a press conference Monday.
Flake and his wife were put in charge of the Green Acre facility while the owners, Todd and MaLeisa Hughes, were out of town in Florida.
“I learned of this tragic accident yesterday. I can’t imagine the devastating loss these families are experiencing. My heart goes out to the owners who lost their beloved pet,” the Senator said in a statement.
On Saturday morning, pet owners, who had initially been told by the Hughes that their pets had gone missing, arrived at the facility to find a horrific scene of as many as 20 dogs dead or dying in a small shed next to the Hughes’ home.
“That was a lie,” Arpaio said. “They didn’t run away. The dogs are dead.”
Arpaio pledged to launch a full investigation of possible animal cruelty or neglect, and include re-interviewing Flake and his wife.
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