Over 60 Dogs Found In Poor Conditions
Tell City, IN (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Mar 19, 2011
County: Perry
Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available
Alleged: Patrick Lutgring
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
More than 60 dogs are being rescued from a Perry County home off Apricot Road. The county prosecutor Rod Acchiardo tells NEWS 25 over the weekend when a search warrant was executed that many dogs were found starving, one found dead and other dogs eating off the carcass.
"Went out over the weekend and took possession of 30 dogs that were in various stages of neglect," said Acchiardo.
Tuesday afternoon there were still dogs on the property. Acchiardo says those dogs were not as malnourished as others needing immediate care.
Charges against the land owner are expected as soon as Tuesday night. In total, 26 charges of animal neglect and one charge of torture of an animal. Six of the dogs rescued have been taken to the Owensboro Humane Society.
"There were dead dogs. There were dogs eating carcasses of dead dogs because of starvation. This is horrendous," said humane society president Carmel McLeod.
Acchiardo will not release the land owner's name until formal charges are filed. NEWS 25 learns the land owner was put on probation last year when 10 dogs and five horses were found in poor condition.
"It's horrible. How do you look out your back door and see this and know this is going on but you don't care? They're starving," said Sheila Hall, manager of the humane society. "They're eating off of dead animals. That's a picture I don't even want in my head."
Acchiardo says a case like this will not be taken lightly.
"We will aggressively pursue any animal cruelty cases within Perry County," said Acchiardo.
The humane society is asking for donations with the large number of dogs expected to arrive within the week.
Case UpdatesSome local shelters are asking for the public's help after taking on more than 60 abused dogs from a Perry County Home.
A week ago more than 60 dogs were rescued from a home in Tell City. The manager at the Perry County Animal Shelter says this is not the first time they have dealt with the dog owner.
Fifty-three year old Patrick Lutgring turned himself in after authorities found more than 60 dogs at his home in Tell City last Saturday.
He has since posted bond but faces 26 counts of animal neglect and one count of animal torture.
"We dealt with this man a year ago and the dogs I thought were really bad then, but not on this large of impact, so it's affected us differently this time around," says Tiffany Reed, Manager of the Perry County Animal Shelter.
She says last year Lutgring turned over ten of his dogs to them. After that he got a no trespassing order and they were not allowed on the property again.
"We were just hoping that we was doing what he said he was going to do since we couldn't follow up. He had the law, at that point, on his side."
It was not until a formal complaint that officials were able to take action.
Now 27 of the dogs are in the care of the Perry Shelter, a big strain on the operation. They are full and can not take anymore dogs.
Thankfully, the community is helping with donations.
Now the attention turns to getting the dogs adopted.
"I've seen a big improvement in them just in a week. They're all getting hydrated and fattened up and they're very social, so I think that they'll all be placed," says Reed.
The Animal Protection Coalition is leading the investigation.
A fund has been set up at the German Bank branch in Tell City to help the Perry County Animal Shelter. | Source: news25.us - Mar 26, 2011
Update posted on Mar 27, 2011 - 10:03PM |
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