On Monday Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Josh Byrd responded to an animal cruelty complaint at the residence of Loretta Brown and Judy Duvall, 195 Barnette Hollow Road, Bulls Gap.
Upon his arrival Byrd reportedly found eight small dogs paired up in cages located in living room and kitchen of the residence.
The cages were allegedly filled with mold covered feces 4-6 inches thick.
According to reports, the cages were stacked on top of each other, and there was so much feces that it was spilling over from upper cages into the lower cage.
Brown and Duvall were cited into Hawkins County Sessions court on animal cruelty charges, and they are scheduled to appear in court next month.
Tuesday morning the Hawkins County Humane Society went to 195 Barnett Hollow Road to retrieve the animals.
Aside from the eight small dogs inside, there were also two large dogs rescued from outside, and three cats.
HCHS manager Sandy Behnke said Duvall and Brown had attempted to clean the cages after the deputy left Monday, but the stench inside the residence was still unbearable.
“Obviously they were breeding these animals because there was a male and a female in each cage,” Behnke said. “The officer who went yesterday stated that he had a respirator on (upon entering the residence) and when he left the house he had to throw it away.
"We went out today with gloves, lab coats, face masks — and when you walked into the house the smell was overwhelming with urine. The house was just nasty.”
Brown and Duvall didn’t want to lose their animals, but they were convinced to sign a release surrendering the animals to the HCHS to avoid what would have been a court battle initiated by the shelter to obtain custody.
Behnke said the dogs will now be spayed or neutered, receive health care and baths, and upon being cleared medically, will be placed up for adoption.
At least one of the females is pregnant, and Behnke said it’s likely that others are pregnant as well.
The small dogs appear to be Chihuahua mixes and Terrier mixes.
Behnke said there’s a market for breeding small dogs, although she’s never seen it done in such repugnant conditions.
Anyone interested in inquiring about adopting one of the dogs rescued Tuesday can call the HCHS at (423) 272-6538.
The shelter is also always in need of donations, especially after major rescues like the one that occurred Tuesday. Donations can be sent or dropped off at the HCHS, 5180 Highway 11-W, Rogersville, TN 37857.
(Kingsport Times-News - May 5, 2015)
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