Severe dog neglect - 3 found dead, 1 emaciated Camden, TN (US) Incident Date: Saturday, Mar 5, 2005 County: Benton Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: » Amy Jackson » Stevie Taylor

Case ID: 4021 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in TN (US) Login to Watch this Case

A Camden couple, Amy Jackson and Stevie Taylor, were arrested Saturday, March 5, after officers from the Camden Police Department (CPD) and the Benton County Sheriff�s Department responded to a complaint of animal cruelty.

The incident occurred at around 12:00 a.m., when the CPD received a tip of animal cruelty at 101 Rowsey Street. Camden officers Ken Beal and David Flowers, along with Deputy Mike Lockhart and Animal Control Officer Pixie Kastner responded to the call.

Upon arriving, they discovered a kennel in the back yard with a couple of dog houses inside. Inside one of them was a dog that appeared to have been dead for at least two days. Outside the kennel another dog was found chained to a house, also dead. On the other side of the yard was a dog in poor physical condition and the remains of another dog.

�The dog had been feeding on the other one to stay alive,� said Officer Beal. �Unfortunately by that time the dog was in such bad shape and was so vicious that we had to euthanize it.�

The cause of death was ruled as starvation, since the officers saw no food or water.

Approximately an hour later, the officers checked a residence at 107 Melton Street where Taylor and Jackson were living. They found a small cage on the porch containing four puppies and another dog chained in the back yard. Some of the animals were taken to the Camden Animal Clinic and others to the Benton County Animal Shelter to be nursed back to health, but died later that day. No food or water was found at the scene.

�It is sad that something like this could happen,� said Kastner. �The four puppies on the porch had no shelter. They had nowhere to go to get out of the sun or rain. We can�t imagine what these dogs were going through. It is a disgrace that these animals were forced to suffer like this. People need to realize that they can�t do something like this a get away with it.�

Jackson was taken into custody. A pipe, folded tin foil, and pills were found in her purse. A search of the house found marijuana, pills, and drug paraphernalia. She is charged with five counts of animal cruelty, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a legend drug.

Police could not locate Taylor at home, but he turned himself in on Tuesday. He is charged with nine counts of animal cruelty, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a legend drug.

Prosecutor info:
Beth Boswell, Assistant District Attorney General
Office of the District Attorney General, 24th Judicial District
P.O. Box 503
Camden, TN 38320

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References

Camden Chronicle - March 9, 2005

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