ALCORN COUNTY, Miss. — Four Alcorn County residents pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal abuse charges.
Each then received a suspended 90-day jail sentence, a $500 fine, and a lifetime ownership ban on all animals.
In October, two suspected puppy mills were raided after complaints that animals were being abused, neglected, and sold at area flea markets.
More than 170 animals were rescued, including dogs, cats, and farm animals. The U.S. Humane Society, along with animal rescue groups from Mississippi and beyond, took part in the raids.
Charlotte Doehner, the director of the Alcorn-Corinth Animal Shelter, said the raids capped off an investigation that started more than four months before.
“No animal should ever have to live under those conditions. Ever,” Doehner said.
She said it was hard to describe the conditions an army of volunteers found during the raids at Larry Meeks’ property on County Road 100 and at Orville Greenhall’s property on Highway 350.
Lydia Sattler, Mississippi state director for the Humane Society of the United States, issued the following statement: “We’re pleased to see the Alcorn County taking animal cruelty so seriously. We hope this ruling will make others think twice before putting profit above making animals suffer in terrible conditions. We’re so grateful to the Alcorn-Corinth Animal Shelter and the Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department for stepping up to help these animals and all of the groups working to find the animals loving homes.”
