Easley woman accused of mistreating animals says investigators abused dogs

SOUTH CAROLINA -- Investigators with Anderson County Animal Control gathered dozens of dogs from a home in Easley on March 18.

"They brought multiple cars, multiple officers and a wellness check, but it doesn't require all that," Debra Sheridan said.

She runs the Golden S Rescue in Easley at her home where investigators arrested and charged her with ill treatment of animals. However, Sheridan said she's not the abuser.


"My dogs will never be treated that way, they may have been before they got here, you know that's why they're here," she said.

Sheridan said video taken from her home camera system showed animal control officers abusing dogs.

 

 

  

  

  

 

"From each angle and throughout the yard, there's obvious abuse somewhere - every time I turn one on, there's just something else and it just breaks my heart," she said.

Maj. Garry Bryant is with the Judicial Services Division of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office. He supervises animal control officers.

"The use of the catch pole is a humane way to get these animals on the truck without risking injury to the animal control officer," Bryant said.

FOX Carolina showed Bryant the video Sheridan was referring to. He said investigators took 60 dogs from Sheridan's home.

"One of the videos you showed me, they were trying to get a dog from underneath a building - short of crawling underneath a building, there would be now way they would recover that animal," he said.

 

 

  

 

Bryant said Sheridan faces 110 charges including failure to provide proof of rabies vaccination.
Deputies with the Anderson County Sheriff's Office say they found Sheridan in possession of a controlled substance.

"Our officers had no history on these animals in temperament, in health - in addition, there were no documents on site to prove that these animals had been vaccinated for rabies," Bryant said.

However, Sheridan said she hasn't done anything wrong.

 

"I do it because I love animals," she said.

Sheridan's video also showed animal control officers playing with several dogs. Investigators said even then, they're cautious about handling them because they're not familiar with them or the potential of rabies.

If convicted Sheridan faces up to 60 days in jail for each charge and a $500 fine.

(WHNS Greenville - Mar 26, 2015)