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Case ID: 18428

Classification: Hoarding

Animal: dog (non pit-bull), bird (pet), reptile

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More than a dozen dogs, birds and reptiles seized, some dead
Proctor, AR (US)

Incident Date: Sunday, Aug 14, 2011
County: Crittenden

Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 2 files available

Alleged:
» Heather Hale
» William Merritt Hale, Jr.

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

On the first day of school, a West Memphis, Arkansas teacher spent the morning in court facing 16 counts of felony aggravated animal cruelty.

Heather Hale and her husband William Hale, Jr. were both arrested Sunday after more than a dozen dogs, birds and reptiles were found living in filthy conditions in their home in Proctor.

Monday, volunteers with the Marion Arkansas Animal Shelter spent the day bathing and removing matted hair from several of the small dogs.

Dogs that are hard to recognize and under all their hair are just skin and bones.

"She's matted up underneath. Basically, all that's on her is her skin. I mean she had no meat on her," said Rusty Coleman.

Rusty Coleman says in his seven years as an animal control officer this is one of the worst cases of animal abuse he's ever seen.

"This supposedly started out with four dogs, but when we started going through the house it was a different ball game," said Coleman.

And photographs show exactly what Coleman and law enforcement officers found inside that house.

The floors were covered with feces and there was dirty water in a bathtub.

Some dogs were found in cages and others were confined to rooms with makeshift gates.

"Literally there was not a place in that house where you could set your foot or whatever without stepping on feces or urine," said Chief Mike Callender with the Crittenden County Sheriff's Department.

"There were people that went out and threw up," Callender added. "It was bad. We had to put respirators on to stay in the house. It was horrific."

It was from a house at 2584 Lakerest Road in Proctor, Arkansas that Paco and dozens of other animals were rescued.

When neighbors saw a matted Labradoodle running free, that led to the phone call that busted the animal hoarding situation wide open.

Taken from the home were 13 dogs, 6 exotic birds, 1 large python and two lizards. Found dead inside were five dogs and four pythons.

"We also found out in the front yard, burn sights" said Callender, "where it looks like there are carcasses of dead dogs that have been burned."

Heather and William Hale, Jr. were initially charged with 41 counts of animal cruelty. Following a court hearing on Monday August 15, 2011, 25 counts were dropped. They couple is currently out of jail on $35,000 bond each.

"The why is a real mystery," said Callender.

The first order of business is to get the animals healthy.

"Some of them aren't going to be so lucky," said Becky Ellison, the animal control officer for Marion, Arkansas.
However, some of them may have a bright future.

"The little ones, the Shih Tzu's and Pomeranians, once we give them a good haircut, they'll be looking mighty cute."

The bigger dogs were in distress. One German Shepard was literally skin and bones, another was clearly scarred where a wire was wrapped and tightened around his rib cage and his hind legs.

"He's in really sad shape," Ellison told abc24.com. "I don't know what we're going to do about him."

That does not mean caring individuals like Becky won't try.

"They all got baths today," Ellison said.

The exotic birds were all in pretty good shape, but Ellison said their cages were "gross and disgusting."

Sheriff's deputies say the couple who own the house, Heather and William Hale, Jr., claimed to be living there at least part of the time and were both there when the property was raided.

The animals are now up for adoption, but it's a waiting game to see which ones survive.

"All we an do is hope for the best and prepare for the worst," said Coleman.

The Marion, Arkansas Animal Shelter is need of financial assistance caring for all the animals.

Ellison added she was overwhelmed at the Marion Animal Shelter and that Crittenden County was in desperate need of a shelter of its own to aid in cases like this.

If you can help or are interested in adopting one of the animals you can contact the

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