GEORGIA -- A man who was later jailed on two counts of aggravated animal cruelty after one of his dogs died and another was found “severely malnourished” was allowed to leave the Whitfield County Animal Shelter with his surviving dog.
The Dalton Police Department did not put a hold on the surviving dog through Whitfield County Animal Control, even though the owner of the dog was under investigation by the DPD, so the owner was able to pay a $50 pickup fee after providing proof of ownership and rabies vaccinations and leave with the dog a day before he was jailed on the felony charges.
“Our hands were tied,” said Whitfield County Animal Shelter Director Don Garrett. “(The Dalton Police Department) was trying to get a warrant for his arrest, but if they don’t put a hold on the dog then we can’t legally hold the dog.”
The Whitfield County Animal Control deputy who took custody of the live dog from the property where he was found said better communication between the agencies could have kept the dog in protective custody.
“I believe we are going to have to do some talking and do a better job with the communication part,” Deputy Brandon Norwood said. “We should have communicated better all the way around.”
According to a DPD incident report, Forrest Brent Moore, 32, of 1012 Foster St., had been gone from the residence for more than a week, according to neighbors. DPD Officer Bruce Franks went to Moore’s address on June 1 after neighbors called to complain about an odor coming from the backyard. Neighbors told officers Moore had moved out a week before and hadn’t returned to feed or water two pit bulls left behind in the fenced backyard.
Franks found one of the pit bulls “severely malnourished” and located a bucket to give the dog some water. The other was found dead in an above-ground pool, lying in a couple of inches of water, leaves and debris. The officer noted it appeared the dog had gotten into the pool to get water and hadn’t been able to get out once inside, and had been dead for “several days and was bloated.”
Franks called Whitfield County Animal Control, which is under the jurisdiction of the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, to take custody of the dog that was still alive. Franks noted in his report that when Deputy Norwood arrived, he was told the dog would most likely need to be euthanized. While the dog was being taken to the shelter, Franks was trying to determine who owned the dog since the property records were for a woman, but neighbors had described a man living at the residence.
Along with the two dogs, there were several other small cages on the back porch in a manner that the reports said was “common with fighting dogs.”
On June 2, the police department was trying to get a warrant for Moore’s arrest when he showed up at the animal shelter and produced ownership papers and records for vaccination for the dog. While Moore was there, shelter personnel contacted Norwood, who attempted to get in contact with Franks, who was not working that day, and instead was put in touch with Officer Chris Cochran, who was helping deal with the condition and health hazards of the pool as well as other code enforcement issues at the property.
Norwood said he asked Cochran if he wanted Norwood to keep Moore at the animal shelter, but said Cochran said the warrant hadn’t been processed and to let the dog go.
“He said they were seeking a warrant and said to go ahead and release it,” Norwood said. “A little while later, they called back and said to hold him (Moore). By the time I called the shelter, he (Moore) was already gone. There is nothing I could have done at that point.”
DPD spokesman Bruce Frazier said since it was unclear within the police department whether the dog could have been held in protective custody without a court order or warrant for the arrest of Moore, Cochran decided to allow the release of the dog. But Frazier also noted that Moore picking up the dog helped secure the warrant for his arrest as ownership of the dog had been undetermined until then.
But Norwood said a dog can be placed in protective custody for up to 10 days at the shelter if there is an investigation.
“That was more my failure to lobby for (placing the dog in protective custody) when I was talking to the officer,” Norwood said.
Garrett said the dog was listed as a stray in the system at the shelter and no hold was placed on it. Animal shelter personnel also did not know about the dead dog found on the property since removal of the carcass was handled by Dalton Public Works. The shelter doesn’t have any enforcement powers with the exception of rabies control, Garrett said.
Moore was arrested on June 3 and charged with the two counts of aggravated animal cruelty and was released from jail on June 4 on a $2,000 bond. Frazier said Moore’s current residence is not known and the whereabouts of the dog is undetermined as well.
Multiple messages left on Moore’s phone were not returned.
Frazier said the case has been turned over to the District Attorney’s Office. A court date for Moore’s arraignment hasn’t been set.
(SuwanneeDemocrat - June 9, 2016)
DETAILS OF ARREST:
Mugshots.com ID: 136910179
Name: Forrest Brent Moore
Sex: Male
Race: Black
DOB: 12/30/1983
Age at arrest: 32
Booking date: 06/03/2016
Booked by: Whitfield County Sheriff's Office, GA
Charges: AGGRAVATED CRUELTY TO ANIMALS- CC6211
Docket: W16-1047
Bond: PROPERTY BOND $2,000
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