Sixty-two-year-old Nannie Johnson of 25779 of Putman Circle in Elkmont is charged with over 40 counts of animal cruelty, with more charges pending.
She's relinquished her rights and the dogs are now up for adoption.
This weekend, investigators found three freezers full of over 40 dead dogs. One dog was dead in the kennel. The remainder were wrapped in plastic and stored in Johnson’s freezers.
Johnson said she had not “gotten around to getting them buried.”
She insisted to officers that she had done nothing wrong, he said.
Johnson, who bred and sold dogs, told authorities she froze the dead dogs because someone was coming to help her bury them but had not yet come to do so.
Officials say 29 dogs were found alive, but three have since died. The surviving dogs are emaciated and suffer from parasites.
"She has, in the past, genuinely raised animals and has sold animals. I just don't know if she just became overwhelmed and unable to tend to the animals properly, but whatever the case it was pretty bizarre," said Stanley McNatt with the Limestone County Sheriff's Department.
Johnson was being held at the Limestone County jail on $32,250 bond.
"When she was asked why this why she did this, she couldn't really explain other than she believed the devil was involved in killing her animals," said Capt. McNatt.
“The dogs we have are starved and have hair matted with filth. It will be a struggle for them to survive. Every one is pathetic. The ones that do live will be good dogs.”
"These dogs severely emaciated, they have a pretty bad skin disease... hair matted up, obviously not been fed for long periods of time now," said Dr. Jim Lovell of the Limestone County Veterinary Clinic.
If you are interested in adopting any of the dogs, call the shelter at 256-771-7899.
Nan Johnson was booked into the Limestone County jail on more than 40 charges of animal cruelty. Her bond was set at $32,000.
(WAAY - April 13, 2010)
