SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. -- A man suspected of abusing and neglecting dozens of dogs in Santa Cruz County was arrested Thursday morning and booked into Santa Cruz County jail.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office called Los Gatos police at about 5:45 a.m. to report that the suspect in their animal cruelty case, Robert Brunette, was in the area of Los Gatos High School, Los Gatos police spokesman Randy Rimple said.

Officer Greg Ezgar found Brunette milling around on foot in the back of the high school. Rimple said Brunette was cooperative and Ezgar took him into custody without a struggle.

Santa Cruz County Animal Services personnel and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department responded to Los Gatos after Brunette was arrested.

The Sheriff's Department took custody of Brunette and booked him into Santa Cruz jail.

Brunette is suspected of killing, abusing, or neglecting about 40 dogs at his home in Boulder Creek.

Animal services officials removed 38 dogs from the property on Saturday, some of which were severely emaciated, and rescued at least two more dogs since then.

On Brunette's property in the Santa Cruz Mountains, officers found a dead dog on the roof, a dog head hanging in the tree, at least five dog skulls inside the home, and other dog body parts.

The rescued dogs are being medically treated and Tricia Geinsreiter, animal services coordinator, said staff members are beginning to socialize the dogs.

"We trying to just get them to realize that we're not going to hurt them," Geinsreiter said.