Dog owners charged with neglect deny claims

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — An alleged case of animal neglect takes a new turn in Carroll County.

WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News was first to tell you about dozens of dogs being rescued from a home earlier this week. Now the two people charged with animal neglect in the case are saying the situation has been blown way out of proportion.

Huntingdon police and the Animal Rescue Corps raided the home Sunday, taking with them more than 20 dogs and puppies they said were severely neglected. The owners of those dogs have said they are animal lovers and never once did they abandon or mistreat those dogs.

“My wife and I, we’ve gone without eating before so those dogs could eat,” Greg Hart said. “That’s how much we care about our animals.”

Misunderstood — that is what Greg and Kathy Hart say describes them after police charged them with animal cruelty.

On Sunday, officers said they were attempting to serve a warrant for Kathy Hart at their home in Huntingdon when they discovered dozens of what they are calling neglected dogs on the property. Neighbors said the Harts had not been seen at the home for days.

“We are down there a lot,” Kathy Hart said. “We’re taking care of them every other day, feeding them, watering them.”

Officers enlisted the help of the Animal Rescue Corps, who documented the entire rescue of the 22 dogs and puppies.

“They showed photos that made us look like we’re the most cruel people in the world with pets,” Greg said. “But we love our pets to death.”

The Harts said they have not been living at home because they are taking care of a sick family member.

“I don’t feel like that us going back and forth every other day and feeding and taking care of them was abusing them,” Kathy said.

Officials also cited what they describe as unsuitable living conditions for the pets inside and outside the home.

“They did have feces on a blanket and on the rug,” Greg said. “But that’s normal for any place where dogs are.”

The Harts said they know the people who took their dogs were only doing their job but that they feel like they did nothing wrong.

“I’m grateful for the work that they do and how they help animals,” Kathy said. “But I feel like this whole situation is blown out of proportion.”

The Animal Rescue Corps has asked the Harts to surrender all of their animals to them, which they said they are refusing to do.

A dead puppy was also found on the Hart’s property. They said the dog had been sick ever since it was born.

The Harts are currently free on $5,000 bond.