The activists say local animal control officers will not file abuse charges against the owner.
The animals were found at a home on Hidden Hollow Circle, just outside of Crossville.
The first dog, which has now been named Prayer, was in bad shape when volunteers with A Time 4 Paws arrived at the home after receiving an anonymous tip.
"He was staggering," said the group's president, Karen McMeekin. "He couldn't really stand on his own. He would fall to the ground. He was just pitiful."
After Prayer was confiscated, volunteers learned the owner had another dog and three horses in a similar condition.
That is when they called the animal control department.
"The one we done the investigation on was poor and needed some attention," said Cumberland County Commissioner and Assistant Sanitation Director Mark Harvel, who oversee the county's animal control department. "We found a neighbor close by that was wanting the dog to take care of it, so we worked out a deal with them."
The three horses were taken by Horse Haven volunteers.
McMeekin said A Time 4 Paws volunteers found out the other dog, which has now been named Faith, was still not being taken care of by the neighbor. They confiscated that dog on Wednesday.
"Both of these animals are considered by the veterinarian as a 'one' on a body scale, from one to ten," explained McMeekin. "Both of these were basically on death's door."
Faith only weighed 39 pounds when he was confiscated. He has already gained seven pounds in the in the past few days.
Harvel says officers will only charge people with animal abuse if they have a large number of abused animals.
 |
| NEEDS TO BE FIRED FOR REFUSING TO DO HIS JOB: "No, I won't, do no charges on them." - Mark Harvel, who oversees the county's animal control department |
"No, not by them releasing the dogs to us and allowing us to take the dog," said Harvel. "No, I won't, do no charges on them."
McMeekin says she feels the animals need justice.
"I would like to see the people who commit these crimes to be prosecuted for them," said McMeekin. "It is a crime to neglect and abuse, starve animals. It's just not happening in this county."
The dog named Faith was just released from a veterinarian's care Monday. Both dogs are expected to recover. They will continue their recovery in foster homes.
Once the dogs are healthy they will be available for adoption.
(WATE - April 1, 2013)
