In all, 72 dogs were removed.
Chandler Giddes, with animal control told Eyewitness News, he’s never witnessed anything like it.
"The conditions were unlike anything I've ever seen," Giddes said.
Many of the dogs had diseases. None of them had been spayed, neutered or given a rabies vaccination. Scars still remain as the animals would often fight for food. Investigators say there were pots and pans scattered around the two-acre property but there wasn’t even any running water.
Officials say the man responsible is 78-year-old Jerry McLeod.
Note: Other news sources spell his name Jerry McCloud.
He faces multiple charges of cruelty to animals, failure to comply with rabies vaccinations, keeping sick and diseased dogs, lack of proper shelter and multiple counts of animals at large and animals running at large in heat.
"There was no food, no water, no ventilation. There were multiple cages, small cages that had anywhere between three and six animals in each cage," Giddes said.
Now these dogs are in the Thomas County Humane Society, something the society says they had no way to budget or plan for in such a large number.
Ed Williams of the Thomas County Humane Society said some of the dogs were in such bad condition, three didn’t even make it 24 hours after being rescued.
"The day that we did the case, and we put our hands on them on them to examine them, it was probably the first time they had been touched by human hands," said Williams.
The investigation began after neighbors complained that some dogs would roam the streets in packs looking for food. They explained that McLeod thought he only had 25 dogs on his property.
"His condition mentally, the psychological side of the hoarding, in his mind nothing was wrong. These were his babies, they were all being taken care of as they should be, but that was not the case," said Giddes.
The Humane Society believes they’ve already spent as much as $5,000 on the animals. They expect it to cost as much as $700 a day to keep the animals.
Thomas County explained that they stepped in after Brooks County explained that they would not be able to handle the case alone. The Humane Society expressed that it was the best choice they could make. Now, they need the community’s help to make sure animals in Thomas County don’t pay the price.
The animals that check out socially and physically will be available for adoption as early as next week. The Humane Society said they’re also looking for foster homes and donations. If you would like to help you can visit their website at https://www.thomasvillehumane.org/.
(WCTV - March 18, 2016)
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