Fed sleeping pills, then shot, investigators say of 57 dead dogs

Dozens of dogs found dead in a wooded area of rural Searcy County on Thursday and Friday were given hot dogs laced with overthe-counter sleeping aids and then shot, authorities investigating the case said.

Deputies had not arrested anyone as of Monday evening, a dispatcher with the Searcy County sheriff’s office said.

Loggers discovered about 20 dogs Thursday evening while looking at uninhabited timberland for sale near the Chimes-Trace Ridge area 20 miles south of Marshall, said Jean Passmore, treasurer of the Searcy County Humane Society. The land is along Arkansas 254 in southern Searcy County.

Deputies returned Friday and found more than 30 dead dogs in a second area about 200 yards from where the first animals were discovered.

In all, Passmore said, 57 dogs were killed. Humane society workers rescued four dogs.

“It’s heartbreaking,” she said.

Humane Society Director John Magruder found a surviving female dog in the woods that walked up to him.

“After what they all went through, that dog trusted John,” Passmore said.

Workers tried to capture a

fifth dog that was roaming the woods and remained skittish Monday. Passmore said Magruder set up a live trap late Monday in an attempt to snare the dog.

It appeared someone fed the dogs sleeping pills tucked inside hot dog scraps and then shot them.

“Whoever did this left and didn’t even make sure the dogs were dead before they left,” Passmore said.

Rescue workers found five dogs weakened but still alive and had to euthanize them because of their severe conditions. One of the dogs that remains alive was shot, she said.

“The precious one that was shot is now standing up and eating,” Passmore posted Monday afternoon on the Humane Society’s Facebook page.

None of the dogs were wearing collars and did not appear to have been abused or neglected, Searcy County Sheriff Joey Pruitt told The Associated Press. He did not return telephone calls Monday.

The dogs were of varying breeds and ages, Passmore said.

Passmore said a dog rescue service disbanded in Searcy County two years ago, but she did not know if the dogs found Thursday and Friday were from that service.

“This is still an ongoing investigation,” Passmore said. “I really cannot comment on the case.”

The sheriff told The Associated Press that he believed someone took the dogs to the wooded area and systematically poisoned and shot them.

Passmore said the Humane Society updates the surviving dogs’ conditions and the investigation on its Facebook page at Operation Kindness.

She said one of the dogs will be adopted pending its release from veterinary care.

“They didn’t have to do that,” Passmore said of the 57 deaths. “We could have found all those babies homes.”