A shocked cop argued with the owner of 11 puppies rescued from squalor.

Wheat Ridge officers responded to a welfare check at the LaQuinta Inn on Youngfield Service Road in Colorado on February 1.

Authorities discovered 11 German Shepherd puppies living in allegedly horrific conditions, prompting an animal cruelty investigation.

Officer Timothy Haines described the overwhelming stench and the cramped, unsanitary space where the puppies were confined. The room was coated in feces, with clogged sinks, toilets, and bathtubs.

Haines said: 'The first reaction is just disgust. The secondary reaction is a lot of anger.

'Those puppies don't get to say, 'Can I go outside? Can I have food?' They were just sitting in the kennels crying.'

Footage shows distressed dogs inside their crates, with officers inspecting each of them.

Five puppies were found in a single kennel, and one was bleeding.

The police officer can be heard saying: 'There's like a lot of blood in that crate. It just worries me that you don't know where this blood came from.

'This is it. I'm taking him to the shelter. This is not conducive. I don't trust you as a puppy owner.'

The puppies were impounded and treated for gastrointestinal (GI) infections at a local shelter, where they received the necessary medical care and attention.

Officials said the pooches quickly improved, becoming more active and healthier after being provided with food and water.

The owner faces 11 counts of animal cruelty or inhumane treatment and was scheduled for court on Tuesday.

However, authorities report she failed to appear, and a warrant for her arrest will be issued.