Hoarding - 21 dogs seized, one found dead
Morganton, NC (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Oct 2, 2008
County: Burke
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Steve Thomas Hudson
It's been five or six years since Burke County Sheriff's Maj. Banks Hinceman has seen animals living in conditions as filthy as he saw Thursday at a produce stand on N.C. 18 South.
"It was just something that got out of hand," Steve Thomas Hudson, owner of the produce stand, said about the multitude of allegedly abused dogs that animal control officers pulled out from behind his produce stand.
The Burke County Sheriff's Office charged Hudson, who lives in Catawba County, with 17 counts of misdemeanor cruelty to an animal. Investigators said a felony charge is pending.
The wretched stench of dog feces surrounding the quarantined dogs as they barked at the presence of humans. Inches of feces covered the floors. Abandoned metal objects surrounded the dogs in the small sheds that provided little to no sunlight.
Less than 20 feet away, Hudson operating a stand selling fruits and vegetables.
Animal control officers found 17 live adult dogs, four live puppies and one dead adult dog, according to Lt. Steve Massey.
Deputy Billy Carswell said a veterinarian would examine the dogs and evaluate them for adoption potential.
While Carswell escorted an irate Hudson from the magistrate's office to the Burke County Jail, Hudson repeatedly hurled obscenities at reporters.
"I done the best I could," Hudson said.
Animal control officers and sheriff's investigators arrived at Hudson's Produce on N.C. 18 South at approximately 9:30 a.m. with a warrant to search for signs of animal cruelty. Hinceman said animal control has received numerous complaints about the site.
Officers found the dogs in unsanitary sheds attached to or in close proximity to the produce stand. They found four dogs locked in the cab of a pickup truck parked in direct sunlight.
Deputy William Townsend donned a full body suit before entering one shed that held numerous dogs. Other officers wore partial face masks to screen out the odor.
Hudson told officers he just kept taking in stray dogs.
Hinceman said Hudson did not have the facilities to handle them all.
Hinceman also said the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services would be contacted regarding the food stand's proximity to the ramshackle housing for the dogs. References |
