Manassas shelter owner denies cruelty

MANASSAS (AP)—The owner of a Manassas animal shelter accused of mistreating dogs is denying the charges.

Sandra Irene Cortes of Annandale is the owner of Assisi's Animal Rescue Foundation. She was charged this week with 28 counts of animal cruelty, a misdemeanor that carries up to a year in jail. A caretaker at the foundation was also charged.

Cortes says the malnourished dogs that investigators found on the property had arrived in that condition. She says shelter staff were working on fattening them up.

Cortes says three dogs found buried in fresh graves also arrived sick and died within hours, before they could be seen by a vet.