"We received a call of a residence out of Gene Autry of possible dead dogs inside a trailer house," Carter County Sheriff Milton Anthony said.
Anthony says when deputies got there on Thursday, they immediately smelled a strong odor of feces and urine from outside the home.
A neighbor told officers that the dog owner, 37-year-old Tony Smith, was not living in the trailer and for the last three months, would stop by the trailer every one or two weeks for about five minutes.
"Deputies went in and found one dog dead and five that were severely malnourished," Anthony said.
Including one dog that was chained to a fence.
Deputies say there were five more dogs inside, the floor covered in urine, feces and flies, and there was no water for any of the animals.
"All of them were clinging to life," Anthony said.
Anthony says one of the dogs couldn't even stand because he was in such bad shape.
And, the home had no electricity, making it hot inside.
"Electricity was cut off to their house so they chose to leave and leave the dogs locked up in the trailer," Anthony said.
The surviving dogs were taken to the Ardmore Animal Shelter, where they are all expected to make a full recovery and be put up for adoption.
Smith tried to adopt the dogs himself, but instead of getting his dogs back, he was put in a shelter of his own at the Carter County Jail.
He is expected to face charges of animal cruelty.
"Always have water, always have shelter because this heat will get to them just as easily as it will to humans," Lacie Kirk with the Ardmore Animal Shelter said.
Kirk says animals can get dehydrated within 30 minutes, which is why the shelter provides several tactics to keep the animals cool.
"We have a big fan system, lots of fans going at all times, we always make a point to spray down the floors as well and the water on the floor will help everyone stay cool," Kirk said
(KXXI - Aug 6, 2015)
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