2 dogs abandoned at home High Point, NC (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Sep 2, 2010 County: Guilford
Charges: Misdemeanor Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: » Nellie A. Brock » Wilbert Morrison, Jr.
Two people face animal cruelty charges after neglected dogs were found at their former home.
High Point police animal control officers responded to 844 Willow Place on Sept. 2 after getting a call about two dogs that had been left in the backyard by the home's previous occupants.
Officers found a black pit bull mix lying on its side "in near death condition," police said. The dog was not chained or tethered, but the other animal in the yard was.
The second dog, a black and brown pit bull mix, was tethered to a stake in the ground, police said. It also showed signs of prolonged neglect but was able to move around. Both animals were taken to the Guilford County Animal Shelter.
The black pit bull mix was given medical treatment and has survived, police said. The second dog was in such poor condition that it had to be put down.
Investigators identified two suspects in the case -- Wilbert Morrison Jr. and Nellie A. Brock, both 55 -- and charged them with two counts each of misdemeanor animal cruelty, according to police. Morrison is the owner of the residence and Brock is a former tenant and the owner of the dogs, police said.
Both suspects turned themselves in Tuesday and were released on written promises to appear for Oct. 29 court dates.
The case is the latest of several suspected animal abuse incidents to get attention. A new law inspired by a Greensboro case in which a dog was beaten and burned that will take effect in December will increase penalties for some types of cruelty cases, giving judges more discretion to impose jail time against offenders.
The issue of tethering dogs also has been in the public eye, with animal-rights activists lobbying local governments, including the City Council, for an ordinance that would limit the amount of time an animal could be tied up on the grounds that excessive tethering can breed aggressive behavior. To date, the council has not taken action to develop any drafts of new ordinances that would address this issue. References« Back to Search Results « NC State Animal Cruelty Map « More cases in Guilford County, NC
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