Fourteen dogs seized from neglect
Ripley, MS (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Jan 13, 2009
County: Tippah
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Nellie Bracken
» Margaret Payne
One of 14 dogs rescued Tuesday from an abandoned home in Ripley died before reaching the safety of the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society.
In addition to the dogs, a Tupelo animal control officer also found one cat, said Ripley Police Department Investigator Ken Walker.
Authorities are preparing to charge Nellie Bracken and Margaret Payne, formerly of 211 Pocohontas Road, Ripley, with 15 counts of animal cruelty and neglect, Walker said.
A neighbor reported Monday that two dogs had been left in a minivan at the side of the road near the residence for a couple of days, Walker said.
When officers went to investigate they also found other dogs in a trailer on the same property, as well as some animals outside.
After obtaining a warrant they returned to the location to serve a seizure order.
There was no power to the residence and Walker said his leg went through the porch floor when he approached.
"Those were probably some of the worst conditions I have ever seen," he said.
The animals of varying breeds arrived in Tupelo "dying of thirst and hunger," said Tupelo shelter Director Debbie Hood. "They were very, very thin."
Hood said the animal control officer described the dog that died as "very old," probably about 12 years.
"It had been chained up and was very, very, very aggressive," she said.
Owners are usually given about five days to claim animals taken under a seizure order, and if they do not make a claim, the animals become adoptable.
"These seem to be highly adoptable once they're fattened up and evaluated," Hood said. References
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