Photo by Frank Graham Animal Control Supervisor Kerri Green comforts two Great Danes seized by the police and animal control officers Wednesday. Officials said the dog's owner was nowhere to be found and the animals were being neglected.

The owner of two Great Danes who were seized Wednesday by the North Platte police for neglect was located Thursday. She was in jail.

FREE Mobile Banking NOW AVAILABLE!

Ashley N. Decent, 18, 315 East Third Street, was cited for two counts of neglect of animals, animal abuse, no rabies vaccination, abandonment and barking dogs. Decent was interviewed and cited in the Lincoln County Jail Thursday afternoon.

Decent had been sentenced Friday, July 11, to 30-days in jail for being a minor in possession of alcohol and violation of a protection order from Dec. 27, 2007. She was also fined $100.

Decent began serving her sentence July 11. By Saturday, July 12, the North Platte Animal Shelter was receiving tips about Decent's two Great Danes who lived at Decent's East Third Street address.

Concern over the well being of two Great Danes led the North Platte police and animal shelter to seize the dogs.

North Platte police Lt. Mike Swain said Thursday that animal control officers had received tips on the dogs since Saturday that the dogs were not being properly cared for.

Animal control and police officers tried to find Decent but could not locate her.

Officers became concerned about the dog’s welfare as they were locked up in a closed house without air conditioning. The mid 90-degree temperatures had officials worried.

Swain said officers secured a search warrant to enter the house.

Both dogs, a male and a female, were found malnourished and dehydrated, according to officials. They found dog food on the floor among feces but none in bowls and the dogs were without water.

“They were glad to see us,” said Kerri Green, Animal Shelter Supervisor.

Officers seized the two dogs and took them to a veterinarian for an examination. One dog weighed 70 pounds and the other weighed only 50 pounds. Full-grown Great Danes normally weight between 120 to150 pounds, Green said.

The dogs will be kept at the Animal Shelter until Decent answers the charges in Lincoln County Court. A judge will decide the where the dog's fates.

Green said if the judge refuses to turn the Great Danes back over to Decent, they would be placed with an animal rescue group. She said one had already been contacted and was interested in the dogs.

This story was originally publised at 12:45 p.m. July 17. It was later updated at 4:40 p.m. after Ashley N. Decent was cited for neglect.