A Butte County, California, couple face 39 felony counts of animal cruelty after authorities seized 38 living dogs and one dead puppy in their home, authorities announced on July 28.

Brandi Lee Jacobs, 42, and her husband, Jose Bartolo Martinez Jr., 42, of Oroville, California, were jointly charged for failing to provide the dogs in their home with proper food, drink, shelter, and protection from the weather, Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey’s office reported.

Jacobs was arraigned on July 28 and assigned a public defender. She was ordered back to court for further arraignment and entry of plea on July 31. She is being held in lieu of $585,000 bail, according to the district attorney’s office.

A paperwork error caused Martinez to be released from jail on July 25 before the case was sent to the District Attorney’s Office, authorities reported. Ramsey said the Oroville police were working on a corrected warrant to get Martinez back into custody.

Ramsey said the neglect of the animals caused “needless suffering.”

An Oroville police officer was on a routine patrol on July 23 and was flagged down by a concerned resident, the department said on social media.

The resident reported fearing that several dogs were living in “dangerously substandard conditions at a nearby home,” police reported.

The officer responded immediately and contacted Jacobs at the home. Upon approaching the open door, the officer encountered a strong odor and said that living conditions inside were disturbing.

The officer entered the home over concerns for the animals, according to police.

Inside, the officer allegedly found piles of trash, animal feces, tar, insects, and dozens of dogs.

Some of the dogs were roaming in the backyard, while others were crammed into kennels, many stacked to the ceiling, living in their own waste, police reported.

Police found 38 dogs living in unsafe conditions after being flagged down by a concerned resident in Oroville, Calif., on July 23, 2025. (Oroville Police Department)

“Tragically, one puppy was found deceased inside a crate in Jacobs’ bedroom,” the police department reported.

Animal welfare staff and volunteers spent more than five hours rescuing 38 dogs, and code enforcement staff began steps to “red tag” the property, which would deem it unsafe for humans to live.

The case is still under investigation.

Jacobs and Martinez were arrested on July 24.

The Northwest Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) pleaded for the community to assist the dogs.

“We rarely reach out like this—but we urgently need your financial support,” the organization wrote on Facebook on July 25. “These dogs are in poor condition ... and require extensive veterinary care, including diagnostics, treatments, medications, and long-term support.”

The dogs were not yet available for adoption, according to the SPCA.

A number for Martinez was disconnected, and he was not able to be reached for comment on July 29. Jacobs was in custody and also not able to be reached.