KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A young woman at the center of a Knox County animal abuse case has been booked into the Knox County jail system.
The Knox County Sheriff's Office filed multiple charges against Haylee Morris last month, following an investigation into the alleged severe neglect and abuse of dozens of dogs, cats, guinea pigs, lizards, rabbits and other animals kept in a Leclay Drive home in the Halls area.
Also charged in the case are Michelle Burgess-Morris, 50, Thomas Morris, 51, and Isabella Morris, 19.
Michelle Burgess-Morris was arrested promptly after the charges were filed. Other family members, however, were not.
Haylee Morris, Isabella Morris and Thomas Morris were all booked in the last week.
Haylee Morris worked as an independent area pet sitter, advertising her services on Facebook. Multiple customers, however, began complaining on social media that their pets had been neglected or abused or had even died while in her care.
County animal control officers said last month they found the Halls home filled with trash and reeking of feces and urine. Four dead animals were recovered before the charges were filed.
“The findings were so extensive, veterinary cruelty checks needed to be conducted on each animal and the deceased animals were sent to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine for necropsy testing (to attempt to determine the cause of death),” a KCSO report states. "If there were additional dead/decomposed animals, they were not visible in the clutter and garbage throughout the home.”
The Morrises have each been charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, two counts of cruelty to animals and one count of violation of anti-rabies laws, according to KCSO.
Haylee Morris turned 23 on April 10, records show.
A May 17 date has been set for at least some of the defendants in Knox County General Sessions Court.
