A husband and wife from Brentwood are accused of starving their dogs and leaving them in deplorable conditions outdoors.

Argelys and Elma Paulino were arrested at their home Monday morning and charged with keeping their two pit bulls chained in deplorable conditions in their backyard. One of the dogs, named Bella, was dead when police responded to a 911 call.

Linda Klampfl, of Almost Home Animal Rescue, says one of her volunteers was doing construction at the Paulinos' house, noticed the dogs in the backyard and called her. When she got to the scene, Klampfl says the surviving dog, named Arielle, was chained and shaking in her doghouse.

"They lived in feces and mud," she says. "Thick, heavy chains and no food, no water and just their overall body condition was horrendous."

Klampfl says the couple lacked remorse and blamed the conditions on their 13- and 16-year-old children, who were supposed to be taking care of the dogs.

No one answered the Paulinos' door when News 12 went to inquire about their dogs. Klampfl says they likely starved one of the dogs to death.

Police say charges against the couple could be upgraded to felony aggravated cruelty pending an evaluation of the dogs by a veterinarian.