When Heather Dennis, of Cos Cob, bought a home in Norwalk nearly 20 years ago, a big reason was because Dennis had a big dog, which made renting a little difficult. Dennis said that’s part of the reason she agreed to rent out the house on Cedar Crest Place to Sarah Smolak in 2018. Smolak had five dogs at the time and was having trouble finding a place that allowed that number, according to Dennis.

Now, Smolak, 28, is facing 40 counts of animal cruelty, accused of mistreating 38 dogs in her current home in Winsted and two last year while renting the home Dennis owns.

“When I leased it to Sarah, the first several years were great,” Dennis explained, adding that Smolak always paid rent on time and never had any issues.

Dennis told News 12 that things began to change about two years ago. She said Smolak started being late on rent, wasn’t paying the water bill and always had an excuse why Dennis couldn’t stop by.

“I just felt something was wrong, so this past December, she asked to renew the lease again, and I said, ‘Not until I'm walking through the house. I understand you have dogs with needs, but I absolutely have to see the house,’” Dennis recalled. “And that's when things really hit the wall. She went nuts and the texts and the messages and refusing to have me enter the property. She was going to call the police.”

Dennis and her husband hired an attorney and started the eviction process. But in February, Smolak moved to Winsted, where she’d bought a house. That’s when Dennis learned why Smolak hadn’t wanted a visit from her landlord.

“The house was completely destroyed, top to bottom, inside out,” Dennis stated. “It’s going to cost us close to $100,000 to make this house livable again.”

It was the first time in two years they’d seen the inside, which reeked of urine and feces. It was everywhere, according to Dennis—on the floors, on the doors, up the walls. Crews wore hazmat suits and respirators for the first six weeks of work, Dennis said. The Maplewood flooring, which Dennis had sanded and finished before Smolak moved in, had to be ripped out.

“We had to not only remove the floors, but we also had to pull out the sub floors and replace a lot of the trims,” Dennis told News 12. “We had to replace the ceiling in the basement because the urine had soaked through from above.”

She said the bathroom had to be gutted, light fixtures replaced and the garage floor repoured because of stains. A company removed 200 pounds of feces from the small backyard, she said. The lease allowed Smolak to live there with her five dogs, but Dennis has since learned there were at least 17 at one point in the 1,100-square-foot home.

“She was illegally running a business. She was boarding dogs, and she was fostering dogs. She was getting paid for it,” Dennis stated.

Dennis said she later found out other people in the neighborhood had called police with complaints about Smolak and what was going on in the home, even leading to a visit from the health department. But Dennis and her husband were never notified.

“I will forever be shaken by this,” Dennis told News 12.

She said it’s not the damage and expenses that make her so angry. It’s what led to them.

“These animals were neglected, were suffering. They were closed in closets. I mean the amount of repairs we've had to do with dogs trying to chew and scratch their way out of the bathroom or out of closets or out of the attic. It's horrific to me,” Dennis said.

That's why she decided to press charges—in hopes this additional case will lead to some kind of punishment if the animal cruelty cases don’t. Smolak was charged with criminal damage to property and fourth-degree larceny. She’s also accused of stealing the washing machine and lawn furniture.

Repairs are still underway. Dennis said the plan is to finish up the work and put the house on the market sometime in June.

Smolak is due in Stamford Superior Court on those charges, and the two counts of animal cruelty she’s facing out of Norwalk, on May 28. She returns to Torrington Superior Court, where she’s facing 38 counts of animal cruelty, on July 1.

Dennis said she's been in touch with the rescues and dog owners affected.

“The number of people she has hurt through the abuse and neglect of these animals. It's inexcusable, and it really makes me sick to my stomach. And to have this happen under my roof is crushing,” Dennis told News 12. “We are going to do everything possible to make sure that she is punished to the maximum extent allowable.”