After a further review of animal cruelty laws, Stone County Deputy Chief Phyllis Olds said a decision was made Wednesday to arrest the home's owner, Shirley Guy (aka Shirley Gai), on one charge of cruelty to animals and 116 charges of animal neglect, both misdemeanor charges in the state. Olds hopes to get in contact with Guy today to make the arrest.
Authorities Tuesday seized 117 dogs from the home Guy purchased for the dogs. She did not live at the home and kept a back door propped open so the animals could go in and out as they pleased.
Authorities found other dogs dead, some lying inside the home or in the fenced-in backyard with still others stuffed into large black garbage bags outside. Veterinarians had to euthanize one dog at the scene Tuesday and later had to euthanize another.
The seized dogs are now either housed at the Stone County Animal Shelter or Southern Pines Animal Shelter in Hattiesburg. They are receiving medical care, though Olds said some may end up being too sick to save. She said the dogs are not immediately available for adoption because they are in the process of rehabilitating the animals, which includes treating them for various medical conditions and administering rabies shots.
"We are going to save as many as we can," Olds said. "They've got mange. Some have open wounds. Some have extreme bite marks from biting each other. The stronger, bigger dogs were jumping on and killing the smaller dogs."
Authorities are asking anyone who wishes to donate dog food or cleaning supplies for crates to house the dogs to drop off their donations at the Stone County Sheriff's Department at 1420 Industrial Park Road in Wiggins. For more information about what to donate, call the Stone County Sheriff's Department at 601-928-3191.
(Sun Herald - March 19, 2013)
