Seventeen dogs removed from home
Rising Fawn, GA (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Sep 22, 2011
County: Dade
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 3 files available
Alleged:
» Rebecca Jean Gerrells
» Cory Edward Gerrells
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
The Dade County Sheriff Department has charged two people with Animal Cruelty.
They says Rebecca Gerrells and Cory Gerrells were arrested Sept 22 at their home at 67 Williams Road.
Dade County Deputy Webb went to the home after a complaint was made that several dogs were not being cared for.
Officer Webb contacted Sherriff Patrick Cannon and other investigators immediately due to the condition of the animals and the kennels they were being housed in.
Seventeen dogs were removed from the home.
DFACS was also notified due to the condition of the home.
Case UpdatesCorey and Rebecca Gerrells told me they were blindsided when a Dade County deputy showed up to their Rising Fawn house, seizing their seventeen, great danes last Wednesday. But Sheriff Cannon said he can not see how the Gerrells did not see this coming. "The smell was awful. You could actually smell it from Hwy 11 all the way to the home. The living condition of their animals were in pitiful shape."
Cannon showed Newschannel 9 photos deputies took during the seizure. One shows a black great dane that died shortly after being taken by a rescue center. "The dog had been bred multiple times without a healing process," explains Cannon.
The Gerrells insisted they were not abusing or neglecting any of their dogs and the county's Chief Magistrate, Joel McCormick agreed with them for the most part, saying the animals appeared to be healthy. "Dames for Danes," a great dane rescue center told us most of the dogs were very thin and had fleas. Several suffered from heartworms and skin infections.
The Gerrells admitted there was no food or water in the kennels but said they emptied it shortly before the deputy arrived because of the rain. But Cannon says that explanation doesn't make sense. "It was not raining, there was no water whatsoever in any of the pans. So if it had rained, there would have been water in there."
Then, there's the condition of the home itself. Authorites say was so awful inside, Child Services took the couple's 3 children. "Filthy house. They ought to be ashamed of themselves having children in this home," says Cannon.
After cleaning up the house the children were allowed to come back along with one of the great danes. Opinions aside, both the Gerrells and the Sheriff are waiting to see the results of a veterinarian report which will show if this really was just a misunderstanding or if the charges were rightfully given. | Source: newschannel9.com - Sep 28, 2011
Update posted on Sep 29, 2011 - 4:55PM |
References |
