Caretakers prep seized animals for adoption

CARROLL COUNTY, Tenn. — More than 150 animals were seized from Tara Neutzler and Donald Schoenthal’s Atwood home in April of 2018.

This month, another 40 were seized from a property in Middle Tennessee. The couple entered into a plea agreement Wednesday to charges of aggravated animal cruelty and animal cruelty.

Both will be banned from owning or possessing animals for 10 years. They were also ordered to surrender their animals from Carroll County and Putnam County.

Redemption Road Rescue in Jackson has taken custody of some of those animals. Others are in the care of Animal Rescue Corps in Middle Tennessee.

“We’ve taken in four miniature horses, five sheep, seven goats, geese, two alpacas, one of whom was pregnant,” Lori Collins, director of Redemption Road Rescue, said. “Some of them recovered a little quicker than others, and some of their recovery was quite extensive. We had a lot of vetting involved in this.”

That vetting meant a heavy price, but Collins says those animals needed human affection just as much.

“Millie the goat was an emaciated, dehydrated baby who we really didn’t think was going to make it,” Collins said. “We tried really hard not to get attached to her, but nevertheless, every single one of us is so attached.”

Animals like Millie, who actually lived in the home, will now be available to go to their forever homes.

“Once we exhale from the excitement of knowing they get their happily ever after, these guys will all go for adoption, and we’ll take in applications and adopt these guys out to new homes,” Collins said.

WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News reached out to the attorney representing Schoenthal and Neutzler for comment. They had not gotten back to us at the time of this story.