OKLAHOMA CITY—On Wednesday, the Humane Society of the United States assisted the Grady County Sheriff’s Office with the rescue of hundreds of animals from a multi-species alleged cruelty case. Authorities served a search and seizure warrant on a residential property in Grady County, where they found animals including dogs, cats, goats, fish, companion birds and a pig. Responders and veterinarians from Operation Kindness and Black Beauty Ranch, which is a Humane Society of the United States sanctuary, also assisted on-scene.
Temperatures were below freezing when rescuers and law enforcement arrived on-scene and were greeted by shivering rottweilers, shih tzus and pit bull-type dogs, chained and tethered outdoors with inadequate protection from the elements and no apparent access to food or water. Veterinarians noted most of the dogs and cats are underweight, with protruding hips and rib bones, and several dogs have untreated injuries.
The pig had no apparent access to food or water, and the goats had a water trough but it was frozen solid. Over 20 koi were living in a outdoor pool so murky they were not visible to rescuers upon initial inspection, and various types of smaller fish were contained throughout the garage and residence. Companion birds including parrots, parakeets and finches were inside a garage in filthy, barren cages with no environmental enrichment. Veterinarians immediately noted one of the parrots had large patches of missing feathers, apparently self-inflicted and likely due to boredom and stress. Enrichment, which allows animals to exhibit natural behaviors, is essential for their physical and mental health and can prevent self-destructive behavior. Despite the poor conditions, many of the animals were friendly and eager for attention.
Dozens of roosters and hens were found in makeshift pens outdoors or caged in an outbuilding on the property. These animals were identified as gamefowl, a term used to describe birds raised for the purposes of fighting and selectively bred to be aggressive with other birds. Experts from the HSUS assisted in identifying cockfighting paraphernalia, and veterinarians noted that many of the gamefowl were underweight and suffering from apparent neglect.
“As different as each of these animals are, when I imagine what their lives have been like, there is something they all have in common—the koi whose entire world is the bottom of an filthy, murky pool; the parrot in a cramped, barren cage who greets strangers with a ‘hello!’ but had plucked out his own feathers; and the sweet, attention-hungry dog pacing in circles as far as her chain will allow her —it’s a bleak existence,” said Jessica Johnson, senior director of the Humane Society of the United States’ animal rescue team. “Between the number of animals and their unique, species-specific needs, this was a complex operation for everyone involved and we are especially grateful to the Grady County Sheriff’s Office for intervening for these animals. Thanks to them, these animals don’t have to live like that anymore.”
“I would like to say thank you to the members of the Humane Society of the United States for their assistance and hard work in the rescue of several hundred animals that were involved in an animal cruelty investigation,” said Sheriff Gary Boggess. “We executed a search warrant on the residence in Grady County where the animals were being mistreated. With their help, animals were rescued and will be rehomed.”
The dogs, cats, fish, companion birds, goats and the pig were removed from the property and transported to undisclosed locations to receive in-depth veterinary exams and much-needed care. Placement arrangements with shelters and rescue partners and sanctuaries will be determined in the coming weeks.
Due to the risk of spreading infectious diseases to commercial flocks and lack of placement options, gamefowl rescued from suspected cockfighting situations typically are not able to be adopted out. This leaves little choice but humane euthanasia of the roosters and hens on-scene, which was completed by veterinarians on site.
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Editor's note: This press release was updated on Dec. 16 to include a quote from Sheriff Gary Boggess and provide additional details about the operation.