They found the dogs locked in cages inside a cramped apartment, nearly starved to death.
On Wednesday, officials from Hillsborough County Animal Services arrested the animals' owners, Evens and Kevin Morival. The two are brothers, both of 2901 N. Dale Mabry Highway.
According to animal services, the Morivels kept the dogs in a small bedroom and told investigators they couldn't afford to feed them. No food was found in the apartment.
The dogs, a two-year-old Basset hound, named Betty Boop, and a hound mix named Coby, were both rushed to emergency veterinary care, according to a press release.
The Morivel brothers are each facing two counts of felony animal cruelty and two counts of misdemeanor improper confinement of the dogs, the press release said. Both were still in jail late today on $4,000 bail.
Investigators called the case one of the "worst incidents" of animal starvation to date. They said they hope to remove the dogs from IV fluids later this week and transfer the animals to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay for recuperation and adoption.
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