ST. LOUIS — Prosecutors have dropped animal abuse charges against a man accused of keeping nearly two dozen dogs at a small brick home in north St. Louis.

David Sanders was set to face trial this week on accusations he hit dogs with blunt objects at his home in the 8700 block of Riverview Boulevard.

Instead, prosecutors dropped the charges Monday, records show. The records do not say why. A spokeswoman for the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Sanders' public defender, Sean Connolly, declined comment.

For years, city animal control had received complaints about Sanders having too many dogs that were allowed to run off leashes, but he was never criminally charged.

That changed last year when police and animal abuse inves

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