Animal neglect and cruelty charges against a Lansford woman were bound over to Carbon County Court of Common Pleas this week.

Dawn James, 29, of Lansford, appeared before District Judge Beth Dodson Wednesday on the charges related to a malnourished female dog and puppies in her yard that she reported as abandoned in April.

Borough police charged James, of East Bertsch Street, following the April 26 incident in which Carbon County Animal Shelter director Tom Connors responded to a call involving a mother dog and three newborn puppies.

James told Connors that the dogs belonged to her ex-boyfriend, who lives in the same block. The female dog appeared to be suffering from starvation, as her rib cage was showing, court papers said.

The puppies, still receiving nourishment from their mother, appeared to be in fair condition.

After photographs of the dog and her puppies were posted on social media, several people came forward with information that they belonged to James, court papers said.

Connors also learned the female dog actually had a litter of nine puppies, and that James was trying to sell the puppies for $300 each.

Lansford police talked to James, who said that she was in possession of the dogs, but the female was in poor condition when her boyfriend gave her the dog to watch.

The ex-boyfriend told police that he surrendered the dog to James in the beginning of February. Connors also told police that the female dog could have never given birth in her current health, court papers said.

The remaining puppies from the litter were tracked down and reunited with their mother.