A Surprise man was arrested and booked into the Maricopa County ITR jail facility on one count of felony animal cruelty and 10 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

Levi Lewis, 41, was arrested on March 24 after Surprise Police officers were called to an apartment complex near Bell Road and El Mirage Road in reference to a report of animal cruelty.

A witness reported that a man had zip tied the mouth of a basset hound dog shut. Police later found this had occurred several times over the past two weeks.

Detectives from the Surprise Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division executed a search warrant at the suspect’s apartment and found 10 puppies, all of which were suffering from various states of dehydration and had no access to water.

In total, 12 dogs were recovered which included the 10 puppies and two adult dogs. One of the adult dogs was found in an emaciated state and transported to a local valley animal hospital for immediate medical evaluation and treatment.