Carolina Waterfowl Rescue Awarded Custody Of Ill Treated Chesterfield Animals
INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — Carolina Waterfowl Rescue has received custody of 15 birds, four calves, and two dogs that were seized by Chesterfield County, South Carolina police yesterday.
Police discovered the animals living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions and the owner, Keith Jones, faces charges of ill treatment and abandon or neglect.Β Jones may face additional charges for transporting the birds from Tennessee without health certificates.
Sheriff’s Deputies were investigating a trespassing report on the property when officers noticed the animals living in “filthy, nasty conditions,” and called animal services. Authorities found nine chickens, five turkeys and one guinea hen living in wire cages that were too small for the animals. Many of the birds have missing toes and sores on their feet, which indicates that they were not let out of their cages.Β One of the turkeys is missing a foot and may be a candidate for a prosthetic.
The four calves are all four moths old and at lest 50 to 100 pounds underweight. They were found to have worms and parasites, and living in a small pen with an incredible amount of feces. Two King Corso Mastiffs were found with mange and infected skin lesions.
The animals are in a quarantine facility undergoing exams while volunteers wait for test results, after a judge awarded custody to CWR today.
Jim McGonigal, director of animal services and litter control in Chesterfield County, said βIt’s like I told the judge this morning,whether you like animals or not, we had to act. Most of these animals were likely going to arrive back in the food chain and someone could get sick because the birds and calves had no health testing.β
McGongial also said, βWe have zero tolerance for animal crueltyβ.
CWR Director Jennifer Gordon said that she expects all of the animals to make a full recovery.
According to the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue website, Director Jennifer Gordon founded the Indian Trail-based organization,known as CWR, out of her home in 2003. The nonprofit is entirely volunteer-run and relies on donations from the community to survive.
