CHICORA — A Summit Township couple Tuesday waived their preliminary hearings into charges they face over allowing a child and numerous dogs and cats to live in what police said were deplorable conditions.

Robert Pruitt, 53, and Regina Pruitt, 47, waived their hearings before District Judge Lewis Stoughton. Both are free on bail. The charges state police filed against them following an Aug. 30 search of their home will be forwarded to Common Pleas Court.

Police said they executed a search warrant at the couple’s home on Saxonburg Road in an animal neglect investigation and found the home had a strong smell of feces and urine, and the inside was covered in animal feces, urine and refuse.

Police said they contacted the county’s Children & Youth Services after learning the couple’s child lived with them, and they recovered 10 German shepherds and three cats from the home. Beaver County Humane Police and members from ANNA Shelter in Erie assisted with taking the animals.

The animals were malnourished, infested with fleas and lice, and covered in feces, police said.

Both Pruitts face charges of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person. Regina Pruitt also was charged with 13 counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and 39 charges of animal neglect.