NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man has been indicted on multiple felony animal cruelty charges following what a Nashville animal shelter called "one of the most troubling of all rescues" it had ever encountered.
On Oct. 9, a pesticide contractor entered a unit at a Bellevue apartment complex to perform regular maintenance, but once inside, Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue said he found two dogs, Barrett and Bennett, that were just skin and bones.
According to the rescue organization, which later took the dogs in, they appeared to have been "deliberately starved" and were both locked in cages covered in feces. When he was found, the organization said Bennett was just "hours away from death."
Bennett and Barrett were rescued from the home after the pesticide contractor took photos of the situation and called Metro Animal Care and Control (MACC). Rescuers said Bennett's muscles had atrophied and he was so weak he had to be carried out of the apartment.
Both dogs have since been placed in foster homes, with Bennett spending almost a week at Blue Pearl Hospital. According to Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue, the recovery process has been extensive. As of Nov. 29, Bennett's vet bills had reportedly exceeded $10,000.
In a social media post regarding Bennett's status, the organization said there has not been a "single part of his body that was not comprised by his deprivation of food and water." However, volunteers said he is continuously improving.
The incident was reported amid a number of animal cruelty cases in Davidson County, with officials from the District Attorney's Office stating in October that they were seeing a significant increase in reports of people hoarding animals and violently killing them.
Assistant District Attorney General Debbie Housel, who prosecutes for animal cruelty in Davidson County, told News 2 the cases have more than doubled since she took over last December.
After news of Bennett's situation spread, several local residents began demanding justice, with a billboard reading, "Justice for Bennett," going up at the foot of Capitol Hill.
Then, on Dec. 21, the District Attorney's Office confirmed that a man had been charged in the case. Michael Scott Dozier, 46, was arrested last week after being indicted on two counts of aggravated animal cruelty.
Court documents show he was later released on Dec. 15 after posting a $40,000 bond.
However, Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue has continued calling for lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow animal control or law enforcement to immediately remove animals from neglectful situations in the months since Bennett and Barrett were rescued.
"We do not want their senseless suffering to be in vain," the organization stated on its website. "It is time Tennessee lawmakers and city councils passed appropriate laws which would enable animal control or police to immediately remove animals from neglectful situations before they escalate to this level of torture."
from WKRN News 2 https://ift.tt/3Asq9YR
No comments: