Dogs found in deplorable conditions in New Brockton

     Several dogs that were malnourished, had filthy water and very little  or no food and were found Thursday in a pen supplied by the town of New Brockton behind the water  treatment plant.

     The pen contained two puppies and two grown dogs and one dog was found outside with no food or water and chained so improperly that the chain had made indentations into the dog’s skin.

    The dogs were found by Enterprise resident Jessica Nelson mid-afternoon Thursday.

    “I came out here to adopt a dog. Originally I was told they had a chocolate lab,” she said. “When I got out here, there was no chocolate lab and I saw the conditions these dogs were in and it was horrible.”

     Nelson notified the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and Sheriff Dave Sutton, Chief Deputy Ronnie Whitworth and other deputies responded to the call.

    Sutton said he found one dog without food or water and the water in a bucket inside the pen, for other dogs was stagnant.

    “There was little food inside and all kinds of gnats and flies. There were also feces in the pen and two puppies looked like they were so sick, they wouldn’t even move. We also found one dog that had a chain so tight it dug into its skin. This dog was chained improperly outside without any food or water.

    “It’s disgusting and deplorable that the town has kept this like that,” Sutton said.

     Suttoon also contacted the Coffee County Health Department after finding the dogs. The New Brockton wastewater treatment plant and a  stream are also nearby.

“I called the health department and they have contacted the state veterinarian and we’ve also contacted PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the district attorney’s office,” Sutton said. “We are seeking felony warrants on whoever is responsible.”

     Newly-appointed council member Kathy Holley was also contacted and came to the scene late Thursday.

     “This is so disgusting and I can’t believe these animals have been kept like this,” she said. “I think the mayor should have taken steps. I know he went to the Coffee County Commission and the commission told him to take the dogs to Elba.”

     Whitworth contacted the Elba city pound late Thursday. Officials in Elba said New Brockton had not contacted them for five years.

Friday, New Brockton Mayor Lenwood Herron was contacted by phone. Herron said, “the most important thing we can do is to do the right thing and make sure that any and all of the animals are properly fed and the pens are clean.”

Herron said, “when we receive calls to pick up dogs and we get them, we have no idea what the health conditions are. We hold the dogs about 10 days or so to give owners a chance to find them. But, some of the dogs are vivious and if they are, we take them to a vet to put down.”

Herron said,” Tony Bloodsworth is our animal control officer and that kennel was pre-existing before 2008.”

     Holley said the conditions of the animals “are bad enough, but we don’t know what kind of contamination this could cause. We have wells out here.”

      “Ultimately, this is the town’s dog pen and the buck stops with the mayor. Our district attorney is looking at the law books now and we intend to seek warrants for anyone who is responsible,” the sheriff said.

     S.O.S. Animal Shelter’s Bill and Jo Brooks were also contacted and came to the site. .

Brooks examined the dogs and said ”both the puppies have badly injured eyes and other dogs have tumors, which might have been treated if found earlier. These conditions are terrible. In the 11 years I’ve been working with animals, I’ve never seen anything like this before.

“This is not acceptable and wouldn’t be acceptable in any municipality. As a matter of fact, I’ve never seen conditions like this even with individuals. Municipalities should be held to a higher standard of taking care of their animals.”

    The animals that were taken from the pound Thursday were seen by veterinarian Bruce Donaldson Friday morning with the S.O.S. Animal Shelter taking the responsibility to have the animals treated, then cared for at the shelter. More veterinary fees are expected for animals that need additional treatment.

     To assist with the dogs’ health care and food, donations will be taken at the S.O.S. Animal Shelter on Highway 84 in Enterprise or call 393-1743.

     “Someone has got to speak for these animals,” Brooks said. “They can’t speak for themselves, so we have to.”