Four legged friends (and enemies): Tennessee: Accused animal hoarder Carolyn Irby (aka Caroline Irby), fights the charges. Case goes to grand jury

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Tennessee: Accused animal hoarder Carolyn Irby (aka Caroline Irby), fights the charges. Case goes to grand jury

TENNESSEE -- A Manchester woman charged with 10 counts of animal cruelty after 95 animals were rescued from her home had her case bound over to the Coffee County Grand Jury Thursday in a Coffee County General Sessions Courtroom.

Carolyn Irby (aka Caroline Ann Irby, Carolyn Ann Irby), 64, was arrested April 13 on the charges following the discovery of the animals at her home on Hickory Grove Road. Deputies described the animals as living in extremely neglectful living conditions.

“There were also animals inside Mrs. Irby’s house,” the investigator testified. He said about half the dogs were found inside the residence.

Ferrell said a wheelbarrow full of 10 deceased dogs covered in maggots was found behind a barn. “They were wrapped in blankets,” Ferrell said.

Dead dogs covered in maggots are catalogued by ARC

The investigator testified that there was a strong ammonia smell in the barn area and that he found about a half-inch-to-an-inch of feces in the bottom of the cages. He also said that one dog was in such a condition that its fur was matted into the cage.

“There were cages containing dogs where the doors were rusted shut,” Ferrell testified.

The investigator said that incident was more than what could be handled locally so he contacted the Animal Rescue Corps to help with collecting the animals.

“They took each dog, took a picture of the animal and then took them all to a veterinarian to be checked out,” Ferrell said. “There was a dog with her uterus hanging out and another dog that had a cut on its side.” He said those two dogs were transported to an emergency clinic in Murfreesboro for immediate treatment.

Coffee County Sheriff’s Department investigator Sgt. Danny Ferrell testified that Irby told him that she had a “hoarding problem and she had trouble asking for help.”

Ferrell said that he was called to the Hickory Grove Road residence by Deputy Cody Frame, who had been dispatched there to check on the conditions of the animals. Once the investigator arrived he said that he found cages containing the dogs in a barn and behind it.

Under cross examination by defense attorney Brent Keeton, Ferrell said he did not think the two animals were in critical condition. All of the dogs and cats seized from Irby’s residence were taken to a holding area in Lebanon where they were medically treated and cleaned.

Ferrell said Irby arrived home while he was there and told him that she had dog food in the back of her SUV.

“She said she was buying about 200 to 300 pounds of dog food every week,” Ferrell told Keeton. The investigator reiterated her statement about being “just overwhelmed.”

When Coffee County General Sessions Judge Jere Ledsinger asked where Irby got the dogs, Ferrell said she told him that she got them from “different people and strays.”

The judge bound the case to the June term of the Coffee County Grand Jury.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jeff Ridner.

The suspect, Caroline Irby, reportedly once worked with a veterinary clinic in Manchester.

"She was a very dedicated employee, beloved by her clients, active in the Humane Society for years," Dr. Jeff Keele said. "One of the best employees you could ask for."