Officers say if it had not been for an officer’s persistence, the dogs would have died.
Kennels and chains still remain at Morris’ China Grove home, but the dogs are gone.
The three Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd mixes are now at the Rowan County Animal Shelter after police say they suffered through months of abuse.
Officer Dustin Swartz noticed a malnourished dog chained up in a backyard on Elm Street in September. Inside, there were two other dogs and a puppy.
"The dogs appeared to be in the same condition as the skeleton in the backyard,” said Officer Swartz.
Officer Swartz tried to talk with Nathan and Danielle Morris, offering dog food and assistance.
"They stated they did not need our assistance with any of it,” said Officer Swartz. "Everyday on patrol I drove by their house and looked at that dog in the backyard."
In November Officer Swartz came back to the house only to find the puppy gone.
"They had not been feeding the dogs properly, and when they said the dogs disappeared. Uh, puppies can't get out a kennel, they cannot jump a gate, they cannot unlock a deadbolt door and go through a screen fence. The only reasonable explanation is they were inside [with the] mother dog,” said Officer Swartz.
Despite gaining a total of 30 pounds among them, the dogs are still skin and bones, missing hair from fleas, something officers don’t understand, given their living situation.
"There was dog food at the residence. Why they were not feeding them, we do not know,” said Officer Swartz.
Neighbors who live nearby are shocked.
"It's cruel, I mean you don't expect to here about it so close,” said Darren Cook.Some immediately thought of their own pets.
"I have two animals of my own and I couldn't imagine doing anything like that to them,” said Cook.
The animals will remain with the shelter until pending a Rowan County court decision.
(Time Warner Cable News - Dec 11, 2014)
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