WESTPORT — Three people have been arrested after police found dead animals inside an unoccupied “house of horrors” near the corner of Sanford Road and Brian Road two weeks ago.

Westport’s animal control officer Donna Lambert alerted police to the situation at 644 Sanford Road. She had been called there, police said, by homeowner Nicole

Botelho who had asked for help capturing cats inside so that the house could be treated with an insecticide bomb.

Instead, Ms. Lambert found dead animals amidst filth and called police.

While searching for the cats that were supposedly there she discovered two small  “American Eskimo” type dogs, one about 12 years old, the other about 6. One was found dead in a trash bag, the other dead in a closet with the partially consumed torn pages of a book in its mouth. Piles of trash bags in the bedroom initially concealed the dog within the closet.

Westport Detective Antonio Cestodio said that the dog in the closet was so thoroughly infested with fleas that “investigators weren’t sure if the dog was still breathing” — what appeared to be shallow breathing was actually the movement of all those fleas. The dog had a choke-type collar that had moved to around its midsection.

Three cats were found in the house, Det. Cestodio said. “One died shortly thereafter and the remaining two are still with Boston Animal Rescue League.  The animal control officer told us there were five originally but our hope is that two escaped out a broken cellar window because they couldn't find them.

The officers also found a bearded dragon lizard dead in a terrarium.

A cat litter box, overflowing with feces, was located in one of the bedrooms. “Investigators were unable to find all of the cats but did observe wet paw prints in the basement” where there was a leaky water pipe.  It was believed the cats may be transient and entering and exiting the basement through a broken window.

The kitchen floor area was almost entirely covered with decaying animal feces and household trash, Det. Cestodio said. The odor inside the house was overwhelming, even for investigators wearing protective equipment that included face masks.

“I have never seen a house that infested with fleas,” the detective said. “Deplorable.”

It fell to patrolman Robert Rebello to be the first police officer sent inside. He suited up in protective Tyvek clothing and headgear with taped wrists, ankles and neck.

“But even that didn’t work,” Det. Cestodio said. “When they stripped the suit off him he was covered with fleas that had somehow gotten inside.”

Police said they believed the house had been unoccupied for several months although someone apparently made occasional visits with food. Some moldy food was found amidst the heaps of waste and garbage. There was also ruined food inside a refrigerator.

Charged were Ms. Botelho, 45, lately of 481 Briggs Road, Westport, and her estranged husband, Stephen Botelho, 52, of 68 Anthony Ave., Swansea. They were each arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 13 and charged with six felony counts each of animal cruelty by a caretaker of animals. A 17-year-old juvenile relative was summoned to court for the same six charges.

Animal consultants who assisted told police that “malnutrition, starvation and dehydration are among the most painful methods of animal cruelty.”

Also involved in the response and investigation were the Boston Animal Rescue League and a forensic veterinarian.