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Case ID: 18474

Classification: Hoarding

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

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67 sick and malnourished animals seized
Sevierville, TN (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Aug 24, 2011
County: Sevier

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

Alleged: Jeffery Dale Ward

Most of the animals taken from an Ingle Hollow Road residence should recover after being removed from what local officials called a textbook example of hoarding, but they will have to recover from a skin disease that can be spread to people before they can be adopted, the Sevier County Animal Shelter's director said Thursday.

A Sevierville man was arrested Wednesday after authorities found sixty-seven animals in what they described as poor living conditions, the Sevier Co. Sheriff's Office announced.

According to Sevier County Sheriff Ron Seals, an animal control officer went to the home of Jeffery Dale Ward Wednesday to check out a complaint about animals living in poor conditions.

Authorities said they found 54 dogs, 4 cats, 6 birds, and 3 lizards living at Jeffery Ward's home at 290 Ingle Hollow Rd. Many of the animals appeared to be sick and malnourished.

The Sevier County Animal Shelter closed Thursday so staff could process the new animals; Director Jayne Vaughn said it was set to reopen today.

"I just have to really credit my staff," she said. "They've stepped up in the face of this and done an exemplary job."

All of the animals have sarcoptic mange, also known as scabies, she said, and will have to be treated for that before they can be adopted. "We have to treat all the animals for this and that's very costly," she said. "It's a process that's going to take two or three weeks. Nonetheless were prepared to do that."

They could use the community's help to do that, however. They can use financial donations, or in particular they can use Purina dry kibble small dog food, Vaughn said.

After consulting with Dr. Dinny Ryan of the Sevier County Animal Clinic, she decided that four of the dogs could not be saved. "They were just in very critical shape and we couldn't help them," she said.

They also found one dog already dead as they completed their search of Ward's home. "It appears its leg got stuck between two boards in the enclosure it was in and it appears it was unable to free itself and starved to death," Vaughn said. The dog's body had been left in the pen where it died. The aggravated animal cruelty charge stems from that dog's death.

Vaughn is hopeful that the rest will recover.

They got assistance Thursday from the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley; the no-kill shelter took a number of the animals for treatment and adoption.

The animals that remain are being kept isolated from the 120 animals that were already being housed at the shelter, Vaughn said.

They were already showing signs of improvement just 24 hours after being removed from Ward's home.

"The thing that is most encouraging and really hopeful is the way these animals are responding to the care and attention and the clean environment and all of these things that they've never had before. They are calm and they are resting comfortably and they're content.

"Yesterday they were so distraught and the environment was so horrific."

Conditions were squalid inside Ward's home, where he kept most of the dogs, along with the birds, cats and lizards. The dogs and cats were allowed to roam the house, but appeared malnourished and diseased. Their waste was visible through the house.

Ward himself had sores and bites visible on his legs; Vaughn noted that's not unusual for hoarders - they live in the same conditions as the animals they take in.

Some of the dogs were in pens outside the house, including the one found dead during the search.

The incident started when Animal Control Officer Phil King went to Ward's house Wednesday after the Sevier County Humane Society forwarded a complaint to him about the conditions of the animals. King said those conditions were horrific, with animal waste strewn throughout the house and animals looking malnourished and sick.

He contacted the Humane Society, who spent much of the day Wednesday removing the animals from the residence. They wore protective gear while inside the house.

Officers had been to Ward's home before, about a year ago, King said. At that time, they talked with him about how he tended to his animals and he took some of their recommendations, improving conditions at least temporarily. But it was clear when he returned Wednesday that the situation had deteriorated again, and King made the decision to remove the animals and charge Ward.

Ward has been charged with manufacturing marijuana and 66 counts of animal cruelty and 1 count of aggravated animal cruelty. He was booked into jail under a $4500 bond and will be arraigned on the additional cruelty charges and an additional bond will be set. A Sept. 26th hearing date has been set in General Sessions Court.

References

• - Aug 25, 2011

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