HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — A woman faces felony animal abuse charges after deputies say they found several dead dogs on her property and other animals living in poor conditions.
Stacy Ann Rose, 47, is charged with 15 counts of felony animal cruelty, three counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty, seven counts of misdemeanor failure to bury a deceased canine, and one count of misdemeanor resisting a public officer.
The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a report of three Saint Bernard dogs running at large in Horse Shoe on March 5. After locating the dog owner, identified as Rose, and observing the animals’ condition, deputies followed Rose back to her home for further investigation.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS DEMAND CHANGE AMID RISING ANIMAL CRUELTY CLAIMS
At the residence, deputies said they found seven dead dogs in trash bags, most showing signs of severe decomposition. They also said a shed where the three loose dogs had been kept was “deemed deplorable, with feces covering the floor.”
“We were out of town they said when this whole thing went down with all the cops, that the smell, even from afar, was horrific. They had to remove the dogs using hazmat suits,” neighbor Katie Stansfield said.
Stansfield said she was among the first to raise concern about the dogs, filing her first complaint five years ago. She described the conditions of some of the dogs.
“The puppy kind of smelled and it was wet like pee. The bigger ones looked kind of hungry, and their fur was matted,” she said.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY MAN CHARGED IN ANIMAL CRUELTY CASE; 21 NEGLECTED DOGS RESCUED
A search warrant obtained by the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the seizure of 15 canines: 10 from inside the home and five from the backyard.
Following her arrest, Rose appeared before a magistrate, who set a secured bond at $126,500. According to online court documents, the bond was posted on March 11, and she was released.
Rose’s next court date is scheduled for April 3, 2025.
The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office asked community members to report any animal cruelty or neglect concerns to their office or by using the “submit a tip” feature available on the office’s mobile app.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
