AceShowbiz -

DMX gets into trouble. The rapper hits another new low with another animal cruelty. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Department raided that star's home in Cave Creek, Arizona on Friday morning August 24th and found 12 undernourished pit bulls which soon thereafter turned over to a shelter.

Authorities said they received reports about two weeks ago of "animal abuse/neglect" at the house and quickly informed DMX's camp about the matter and issued a warning to remove the animals should the care not improved.

They then got back to the house on Friday and found the dogs were not being fed or given water. Besides, they also found three dead dogs, a number of firearms, and several cars with license plates that could not be traced back to the vehicles they were on.

No charges have been filed and no arrests have been made in connection with the raid, but detectives would like to question the 36-year-old rapper, Sheriff Joe Arpaio explained, adding that "We have to send a message that we're not going to put up with animal cruelty, no matter who they are."

DMX was not at home during the raid. His lawyer Murray Richman said his client hasn't been in Arizona for at least two months and was "extremely disturbed" to hear the animals weren't being cared for properly. "We had a caretaker that wasn't taking care, that's what happened," Richman said. "He loves dogs, he loves these animals. Those dogs are practically his family."

This isn't the first time that DMX gets involved in animal cruelty case. He was pleaded guilty in New Jersey for animal cruelty for neglecting 13 pit bulls back in 2002.