A Battle Ground man has been arrested in a severe animal cruelty case that left five dogs dead and four very malnourished.

On Saturday, 35-year-old Andre Terwilleger was taken into custody after a social media post from the Battle Ground Police Department. The department had reached out to the public for help in finding Terwilleger; the post gained significant traction with over 1,000 shares, leading to some helpful tips.

This is the culmination of an investigation that began in November. Officers had responded to a garage after it was reported that a strong smell was coming from the area. They found nine abandoned dogs: five were dead, and the other four were severely malnourished and in need of urgent medical attention.

After months of investigation, Terwilleger, a former tenant at the residence, was determined to be the person responsible for caring for the dogs. He has been charged with seven counts of first-degree animal cruelty and two counts of second-degree animal cruelty.