Dothan Police Cpl. Rachel David said police arrested David Jeffery Paul, 51, on four counts of second-degree animal cruelty. The charges stem from officers in the department’s animal services division responding last week to a possible animal cruelty situation at Paul’s residence in the 100 block of Woods Drive.
The police statement said police found three puppies and one adult chow dog tied in the backyard with no food, water or shelter.
“They were confined to a small area. They were basically walking in feces, and they were covered in fleas,” Cpl. David said. “It was unsanitary where they were kept.”
A police statement said officers also found the dogs malnourished and severely infested with fleas. Cpl. David said one of the puppies suffered severe bruising along with a large wound half way around his neck from wearing a collar too tight.
Cpl. David, who also serves as a police K-9 officer, said the puppy’s collar likely wasn’t adjusted for the dog’s growth, and was likely too tight over a period of time.
She said animal services officers seized the tan Chow dogs and took them to the Dothan City Animal Shelter. She said the dogs will be up for adoption after a judge releases them, and the case is disposed of in court, usually about 20 days.
Houston County District Attorney Doug Valeska said the punishment for the class A misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty comes to a year in the Houston County Jail and up to a $6,000 fine for each charge, upon conviction.
Court records indicate Paul pleaded guilty last month to a felony first-degree theft of property charge.
Records also indicate Paul was out on bond for three other felony property crimes from earlier this year. Dothan police charged Paul in January with three felony receiving stolen property charges.
According to a Dothan police statement, the charges stemmed from an incident during which a police patrol officer stopped a vehicle pulling a flatbed trailer carrying a large amount of metal.
(Dothan Eagle - April 12, 2011)
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