 Dogs left to die, resorting to cannibalism
Chattanooga, TN (US)Incident Date: Friday, Nov 24, 2006
County: Hamilton
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged
Charges: Felony CTA
Alleged: Donald Ray Hager
Case Updates: 8 update(s) available |
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The Humane Society is searching for a man who left several dogs to die inside a fenced in yard.
Seven dogs were found�Nov 24 at a home in Bakewell. Animal officers say they hadn't been fed in weeks and resorted to eating other dogs just to stay alive.
Humane Society officers were called by neighbors because one of the dogs had gotten loose, and when the officers got to the house they say they couldn't believe what they found.
"Everybody that came here just busted out in tears," David Hutton says.
Hutton is a Humane Society officer and says he was shocked when he arrived at a house in Bakewell on Nov 24.
"There was dead animals laying in the yard that the other animals had fed off of, and the other animals were so weak they couldn't stand up...they were like skeletons laying in the yard," Hutton says with tears in his eyes.
Hutton found dog bones scattered in the grass and the carcass of a dead dog.
The survivors are now at the humane society.
Guy Bilyue says the dog's owner was Donnie Hager and that the humane society had helped him with the animals in the past.
"We're going to find him...this is horrible there is no reason for this," Bilyue says.
"What he did is very, very cruel and unforgivable," Hutton says.
Bilyue says Hagern took some of his personal items before he abandoned the house.
"He took his cars, he took old beat up cars, other things on the property and he took the only shelter they had he took their dog houses," Bilyue says.
And now these friendly dogs are searching for new homes. They're getting stronger everyday and need someone to take care of them.
"After everything that they're gone through they need a good home," Bilyue says.
Humane Society officials say Hagen is about 5'7", bald, has a lot of tattoos, and walks with a limp.
If you'd like to adopt one of the dogs all you have to do is call the Humane Society or drop by their downtown location.
Humane Society 212 N. Highland Park Ave. 624-5302 Case UpdatesThe case against Donald Ray Hager has been continued until next month. Hager is now scheduled to appear in court on September 17 at 9:00 a.m. in the Chattanooga Criminal Court.
Hager faces multiple counts of animal cruelty for allegedly allowing his dogs to starve. According to reports, some of the living dogs had begun eating the dead dogs just to stay alive. Even seasoned officers were reportedly in tears by the sight they discovered at Hager's property last November. | Source: Case # 263595
Update posted on Aug 24, 2007 - 2:00PM |
Donald Ray Hager will appear in court next on July 3rd at 9:00 a.m. for a disposition hearing.
Hager is charged with eighteen counts of felony animal cruelty for allegedly leaving his dogs fenced in a yard for weeks to starve.
Seven dogs were reportedly found last November at his home in Bakewell. Animal officers say they hadn't been fed in weeks and resorted to eating other dogs just to stay alive.
When the officers got to the house they say they couldn't believe what they found.
"Everybody that came here just busted out in tears," Officer David Hutton said at the time.
"There were dead animals laying in the yard that the other animals had fed off of, and the other animals were so weak they couldn't stand up...they were like skeletons laying in the yard," Hutton said with tears in his eyes.
Hutton found dog bones scattered in the grass and the carcass of a dead dog.
Officer Hutton says Hager should never be allowed to have a pet again and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. He also says the Humane Society is always willing to work with people who can't take care of their animals. | Source: Chattanooga Criminal Court Case # is 263595
Update posted on May 23, 2007 - 3:54PM |
An accused dog abuser says he won't get a fair trial in Hamilton County.
Donnie Hager is charged with eighteen counts of felony animal cruelty. He was indicted Wednesday by the grand jury. Humane Society officers say Hager left his dogs fenced in a yard for weeks and they had to turn to cannibalism to survive. Hager says he thought somebody else was going to take care of his animals and he says he should be innocent until proven guilty.
"I've already been convicted and I don't think it's fair not one of those people that talks crap about me in the stores or out on the streets has the gall to ask me what happened," Donnie Hager says.
"You left your animals in a fence for six weeks with no food, water, or shelter and the animals died and the other animals had to eat off of them...how do you defend yourself against that?," Officer David Hutton, with the Humane Society, asks.
Officer Hutton says Hager should never be allowed to have a pet again and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. He also says the Humane Society is always willing to work with people who can't take care of their animals.
Hager is set to appear in court on friday for his arraignment. | Source: WRCB - April 15, 2007
Update posted on Apr 15, 2007 - 8:18PM |
Donnie Hager has been indicted by the Hamilton County grand jury. He is charged with 18 counts of felony animal cruelty and abandonment. Police say Hager abandoned his dogs in a fenced in yard. One died and the others ate that dog in order to survive.
The Humane Educational Society calls the indictments a strong message to the public. | Source: WRCB - April 12, 2007
Update posted on Apr 12, 2007 - 5:32PM |
Animal rescuers collect the remaining dogs of a Red Bank man charged with cruelty.
Donnie Hager says he wouldn't hurt an animal, but humane society officers say they found quite a sight at his house in November. Rescuers say Hager had left nine dogs in a fence for about six weeks without food or water.
The pack had eaten one of their own to survive.
Now a court order has rescuers back to load up Jenna and Sassy, his only remaining dogs.
The dog owner, Donnie Hager says, "Im not an animal cruelest, whatever you wanna call it, that's not what I am, I love animals. What about my fish, are they gonna take my fish?
Humane Educational Society Officer David Hutton says, "This is to send a message tot he rest of the public you can't do this and get away with it, he's guilty of cruelty."
The Humane Society is still trying to find homes for several of Hager's dogs they rescued back in November. | Source: wcrb
Update posted on Jan 19, 2007 - 2:38AM |
Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Bob Moon bound charges to the grand jury against a Chattanooga man accused of abandoning nine dogs when he moved to another residence.
Donald Ray Hager is charged with nine counts each of abandoning animals and cruelty to animals.
Two dogs that Mr. Hager took with him when he moved will be turned over to the Humane Educational Society where they will be held until his case is concluded, Judge Moon ordered.
Officials said once the case has been concluded Mr. Hager can petition the court to get those dogs back.
Of the nine seized by the Humane Society, one died, but the remaining eight will be put up for adoption, Humane Society officials said.
Mr. Hager was being held Friday on a $5,000 bond. | Source: Times Free Press - Jan 5, 2007
Update posted on Jan 5, 2007 - 9:53PM |
Hamilton County taxpayers will be picking up the bill for defending a Red Bank man who reportedly left nine dogs to starve when he moved away from a house in the Sale Creek/Bakewell area.
Donald Hager, who is charged with nine counts of felony abandonment and neglect, appeared before General Sessions Court Judge Ron Durby on Friday morning, as scheduled. However, after he said he did not have an attorney, his hearing was postponed to Jan. 5 to give him a chance to confer with court-appointed counsel.
Judge Durby postponed a decision on whether Hager can keep two dogs now in his possession until that date, although Humane Society officials had asked that those animals immediately be removed from his custody due to the numerous animal cruelty charges against him.
Since Hager meets legal qualifications for indigency, the law requires that an attorney be appointed to represent him.
�Everybody has a right to a defense,� said prosecutor Larry Ables of the Hamilton County District Attorney General�s office. �If you were indigent and you were charged with something, you�d want a lawyer, too.�
Prosecutor Ables said the case has generated widespread outrage, noting that he has been contacted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and a variety of other concerned groups and individuals from across the nation.
When seven surviving dogs were found Nov. 24 at the Sale Creek property where Hager had abandoned them weeks earlier with no food or shelter, they were emaciated and extremely weak, HES director Guy Bilyeu said at the time. The partially eaten remains of at least one dead dog were found in the yard where the animals were confined.
�The only way (the seven dogs) survived was by eating on the one that was dead,� Mr. Bilyeu said.
Earlier in 2006, the Humane Society had worked with Hager for months after he contacted them to say he could no longer afford to feed about a dozen dogs that he owned, the HES official said. An arrangement was worked out where HES agreed to provide food for the dogs while Hager worked to find new homes for them, one or two at a time.
However, Hager made no effort to find new homes for his dogs and eventually the arrangement was discontinued.
Mr. Bilyeu said when Hager lived at the Sale Creek/Bakewell house, he kept all but one of the subsequently abandoned dogs penned in the back yard. The other dog was chained at the front of the house.
�That one was his favorite,� Mr. Bilyeu said. �Before he left, he must have untied it. The others he left penned up in the back yard. He took their doghouses, but he left the dogs.�
The dog that was loose kept going to a neighbor�s house, looking for food. The neighbor called the humane society to report that the dog had been abandoned, and to say that there might be more dogs confined on the property where Hager had resided.
Two officers were sent to the location, where they discovered the dead and dying animals. | Source: Chattanoogan - Dec 29, 2006
Update posted on Jan 3, 2007 - 10:09PM |
A Hamilton County Criminal Court judge appointed the public defender to represent a Chattanooga man accused of abandoning nine dogs and ordered him to return to court next week.
Judge Ronald Durby assigned the public defender to represent Donald Ray Hager, 50, on nine counts each of cruelty to animals and abandonment of animals.
Records show that Humane Educational Society officers rescued nine emaciated dogs from Mr. Hager�s former residence at 1505 McCallie Ferry Road after he had left them there when he moved away more than a month earlier.
Mr. Hager is scheduled to return to court Jan. 5. | Source: Times Free Press - Dec 29, 2006
Update posted on Dec 29, 2006 - 2:18PM |
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