COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — A 66-year-old man was arrested in Cocke County after officers responded to an animal cruelty complaint, Cocke County Sherriff's Office said on Saturday. It said six dogs were found on the man's property, and said they had been neglected and abused.
Three of the dogs were rescued by the Smoky Mountain Humane Society and have a second chance at finding a home. Two of the dogs were taken by the county after being removed from the property. One of the dogs had to be put down because of an illness, the rescue said.
"It was immediately a rescue," said Sara Kenney, with SMHS. "They were in horrible conditions. There were some that were actually in the house, and then the others were outside. So, it was just a very nasty scene."
Kenney is one of the responders who rescued the dogs Saturday afternoon. She said Fergis, Gale, and Bella were there and all are recovering after surviving a case of animal abuse.
"It just took one look to know that they were in dire conditions and that we had to get them out of there," she said.
She said Fergis was one of the more impact dogs found at the property. She said the average size for a dog of his breed is 50 lbs. When he was found, he weighed around half that.
"Fergus didn't get that skinny all of a sudden. Somebody had to have seen what was going on with that animal," said Kenney. "It's hard to believe that any human can treat an animal that way."
Michael Miller, 66, was arrested on Saturday in the animal abuse case. He had owned the dogs.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in 2022, more than 600 cases of animal abuse were investigated across the state. Five of those cases were in Cocke County. Kenney said to lower the number, she wants stronger consequences for offenders.
"Hold people accountable, because that's the only way we will ever get this to end," she said.
SMHS does not yet have formal custody over the dogs and is instead helping them recover. Before they can take custody of the dogs, they need to either be surrendered by Miller or surrendered by a court order. After they're been surrendered, they can be adopted into a new home.