By Lisa Marchesoni - Dec. 17, 2007 - 2:57 PM

One barefoot, 6-year-old boy walking in dog feces covering the floor of his home was taken into state custody for safekeeping Saturday, a sheriff’s deputy reported.

The boy, along with 40 to 45 dogs, were found inside the feces-covered home by Animal Control officers on Long Shadow Court off Baker Road, Deputy Christopher Reed reported.

Reed and Cpl. David Foote reported the boy’s mother allowed them inside to check on her son’s health.

“When I entered the home, there was a strong smell of dirty animals and animal droppings,” Reed reported. “As I walked into the kitchen, there were 12 to 14 dogs running round the kitchen with dog droppings and urine spread all over the floor without any kind of cover under it.”

They found uncovered food next to the dog feces, he reported. He made contact with the 6-year-old boy.

“He had no shoes on and was walking in the feces as he approached me,” Reed reported.

When the deputy checked the boy’s bedroom, he found animal feces all over the floor.

“I noticed there was no bed inside the room and not enough room inside for even a 6-year-old boy to lay down without laying on toys or feces,” Reed reported.

In the mother’s bedroom she shared with her boyfriend, Reed found 30 to 35 bird cages, one with a dead bird, which had not been cleaned in some time.

“The smell of feces was very strong in the bedroom,” Reed reported.

In the backyard, deputies found a shed housing a large snake and five smaller snakes in cages and two large turtles. A freezer contained dead snakes and birds.

Deputies contacted a Department of Children’s Services case worker who arrived and took the boy into protective custody.

No charges were placed. Animal control officers issued citations charging the couple with animal cruelty and ordered them to clean the house.

Detective Randy Groce is investigating.