Former tenants of Union County mobile home to face animal cruelty charges
UNION COUNTY, MISS. (WCBI) – “I have never stepped foot in anything that was as bad as this house was here,” said Union County EMA Director Curt Clayton, describing conditions inside an abandoned mobile home on County Road 167.
Clayton says this investigation began after the landlord evicted the tenants of the mobile home. When he checked on the property, he found fifteen dogs had been left behind.
Typically, Union County doesn’t get involved in animal rescues, but Clayton says the dire conditions meant immediate action was necessary.
‘Our ordinance allowed us to go get them because the dogs had been abandoned and were trapped inside this house and couldn’t get out with no air and limited food and water. Some of these dogs had never seen humans or light of day, trapped in a bedroom that was closed when we got there, with a string, cut the string, kicked door open, had to kick our way in to get in there to them,” Clayton said.
Photos provided by Clayton and the rescue group known as “For the Love of Frank” show the dogs that were rescued, and the filthy conditions inside the singlewide mobile home.
Volunteers helped remove the dogs.
They are now being given medical care and will eventually be up for adoption. Clayton says the former tenants will face misdemeanor charges.
‘We have charges on individuals, which will be fifteen counts of animal cruelty,” he said.
And he has a message for property owners and landlords.
‘Make sure you keep up with what tenants are doing in your property and take care of your property,” Clayton said.
Clayton says the mobile home is in such bad shape, the owner will have it destroyed with a controlled burn, likely next week.
North Mississippi Animal Care and Control also helped remove the dogs from the property.
