Texarkanans work with 4 dog rescues
TEXARKANA — Four dogs seized by Texarkana Animal Services in a felony animal cruelty case are responding to veterinary treatment, but their fate remains in limbo.
Found emaciated, dehydrated and infested with parasites, the dogs are putting on weight and regaining their strength, Animal Services Director Charles Lokey said.
“It’s amazing what can happen when you give a dog some medicine and just some basic stuff like dewormer, some decent food, some water and a little bit of attention,” Lokey said.
What ultimately becomes of the dogs depends on the outcome of the case.
“I have to hold on to them until they’re either surrendered over by the owners or the court says that they’re no longer owned by those people. I have to get resolution,” Lokey said.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant and rescued the dogs Sept. 22 from a house at 309 Laurel St. in Texarkana. The home’s residents — William Lake Evans, 25; Tyler Green, 21; and Victoria Anderson, 23 — were arrested within days, and each faces four felony counts and one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty.
Animal control first visited the house on Sept. 18 in response to an emergency call about the animals not having food and water, according to a search warrant affidavit signed by Animal Control Officer Jackie Mullins.
They observed a dog whose ribs, spine and pelvic bones were visible. A smaller dog appeared in “less than adequate condition.” There was no food and little water.
Officers left a notice on the door to contact animal control officials within eight hours, and they made repeated attempts to contact Anderson, whose name is listed on the home’s water service account.
Animal control officers returned Sept. 21. Someone had removed the notices left on the door, and attempts to contact Anderson were unsuccessful.
Officers could see there were other animals in the house and that there was no electricity. They observed a goat laboring to breathe and unable to stand.
The next day, animal control officers and a member of the Texarkana Police Department executed a search warrant. Officers removed the ailing goat and used bolt cutters to enter a locked room, where two more dogs were found. The goat died that night while under veterinary care.
The two dogs found inside were a white-andbrown female pit bull mix and a black-and-white male pit bull/hound mix that had a large wound on its right rear leg covered with a dirty homemade bandage. Lokey described them as sweet and said the male’s wound was healing, though he may be crippled for life.
“At least [the wounded leg] is not rotting off of him anymore,” Lokey said.
The outdoor dogs were a brown-and-white female pit bull and a reddish-brown female pit bull/shepherd mix. Neither is socialized with humans, and the former has bitten people since being rescued. Lokey is hopeful that with continuing care they will become friendlier and be suitable as pets.
Anderson and Green were released on Sept. 29 and Evans on Oct. 2, each on a $15,000 bond. All three have status hearings before a circuit judge scheduled for Oct. 17.
Punishment for felony animal cruelty involving the dogs includes a fine up to $10,000 and up to six years in prison. Animal cruelty involving a goat is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $2,500 and up to a year in the county jail.