Police discovered a number of dogs chained and left without food or water at an East Austin home -- and those weren't the only problems. The eight dogs and puppies are still recovering at the Town Lake Animal Center.

They were picked up ten days ago, and officials said the signs of abuse are still very obvious -- some are still skin and bones.

"Dogs and three neo-natal puppies and a few juveniles brought in," said shelter veterinarian Linday Czisny.

On October ninth, police say a woman who lives on Brookswood Avenue called to report that her son had dogs on her property, and she didn't want them there.

When police arrived they found several dogs behind the house.

The dogs were underweight, with no food or shelter.

Some were tethered with only inches of slack.

Police also found the skeletal remains of one dog -- and another one dead inside a wire cage.

"Several dogs deceased, several dogs that were...in need of veterinary care, malnourished," said APD Sgt. Richard Stresing.

Policed charged 37-year-old Michael Fagan with animal cruelty.

The charge was enhanced to a state jail felony because of his 2 prior animal cruelty convictions.

In 2003, he was also convicted of dog fighting.

"Based on the history of this gentleman, these dogs probably were trained for dog fighting or had been used in dog fighting," said Stresing.

The dogs are all pit-bull mixes. Some were significantly underweight, almost emaciated. One of the puppies still has a sore from where it was covered in maggots.

"We did find that they had intestinal parasites, hookworms, whipworms," said Czisny.

The dogs are improving each day. It's not know yet if they will be adoptable -- that will be decided in the coming weeks.

Michael Fagan is not in custody. Police said he left the scene before they arrived -- with two dogs.

They're asking anyone who knows where he is to call police.