"It was just something that got out of hand," Steve Thomas Hudson, owner of the produce stand, said about the multitude of allegedly abused dogs that animal control officers pulled out from behind his produce stand.
The Burke County Sheriff's Office charged Hudson, who lives in Catawba County, with 17 counts of misdemeanor cruelty to an animal. Investigators said a felony charge is pending.
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| Steve Thomas Hudson |
The wretched stench of dog feces surrounding the quarantined dogs as they barked at the presence of humans. Inches of feces covered the floors. Abandoned metal objects surrounded the dogs in the small sheds that provided little to no sunlight.
Deputy William Townsend donned a full body suit before entering one shed that held numerous dogs. Other officers wore partial face masks to screen out the odor.
They found four dogs locked in the cab of a pickup truck parked in direct sunlight.
Less than 20 feet away, Hudson operated a stand selling fruits and vegetables.
Animal control officers found 17 live adult dogs, four live puppies and one dead adult dog, according to Lt. Steve Massey.
Deputy Billy Carswell said a veterinarian would examine the dogs and evaluate them for adoption potential.
While Carswell escorted an irate Hudson from the magistrate's office to the Burke County Jail, Hudson repeatedly hurled obscenities at reporters.
"I done the best I could," Hudson said.
Hudson says the dogs were strays that he rescued from the roads and the he wasn't hurting them.
"No, they's well fed, watered and taken care of," he said.
At best, authorities say all Hudson did was throw some food in now and then.
They said the puppies have never been touched by human hands.
They were locked up and living in filth with no attempt by Hudson to clean it.
Hinceman also said the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services would be contacted regarding the food stand's proximity to the ramshackle housing for the dogs.
(Morganton News Herald - Oct 2, 2008)
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