- March 9, 2025
The unattended dogs, found without food or water, have been taken to Halifax Humane Society.
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
It has been more than a week since staff at Motel 6 began cleaning a room damaged by two dogs left alone inside during Bike Week, but the room is still not fit for renting.
The unattended dogs belonged to Susan Carol, of Seffner, who had been arrested by the Ormond Beach Police Department March 8, on a failure-to-appear warrant from Pinellas County, following a theft arrest.
Several days after Carol’s arrest, Payal Roldan, the hotel manager, said staff began getting complaints about barking coming from her room, but because there was a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, they attempted to contact Carol several times before growing concerned and calling the police.
In the room was a male Chihuahua and a female pit bull, as well as a bag of syringes and other drug paraphernalia.
“The little dog was very feisty, very feisty,” Roldan said. “He wanted to bite anything and everything. The bigger dog seemed dehydrated.”
She said there was no food in the room, and guessed that the dogs had been left alone for approximately four days.
The responding officer reported that the pit bull was wearing a silver choke chain attached to a retractable leash tied to a wall luggage rack. There was no water or food in the two dog bowls, according to the report, but there was an empty bag of dog food on the floor.
Roldan said the room was “a complete disaster,” with dog feces and urine on the bed and floor. She estimates the cost of cleaning the room to be between $200 and $250, which includes replacing pillows, comforters and other bedding, in addition to the cost of hiring a professional cleaning company.
The smell, Roldan says, which is still preventing her from renting the room, was so bad initially that it was difficult to even enter the room after police arrived.
The dogs were taken to Halifax Humane Society, where staff is currently attempting to contact Carol to claim them. After approximately 10 days, the dogs will be given names and put up for adoption.
“It’s just a matter of trying to figure out how to reunite them with the owner,” Halifax Humane Society Community Outreach Director Tyler Stover said. “That’s the goal right now, to get in touch them and get the dogs back home.”
Stover added that the dogs were brought to their facility in good health and there were no major issues or concerns documented.
