On Monday, May 26th, a disturbing case of animal cruelty unfolded in Bartow County, leading to the rescue of numerous distressed and deceased animals from a residential property.
At approximately 3:50 p.m., a Bartow County deputy learned from another deputy that she was at a residence on Old Tennessee Road near Cartersville, investigating suspicious activity involving a U-Haul truck and several animals that were either deceased or in distress. The on-scene deputy reported seeing multiple animals in distress and some that had already died. The responding deputy instructed her to have Bartow Dispatch call the on-call animal control officer to respond to the situation.
At around 4:42 p.m., an officer from Bartow County Animal Control contacted the responding deputy, stating that he would need assistance. He confirmed that several animals were deceased, and many more required emergency help. He also indicated that, due to the large number of animals, he would need additional animal control trucks at the scene to assist in collecting the animals.
The deputy arrived on the property at 5:58 p.m. and observed that the area was in complete disarray, with trash and debris scattered throughout. Several dogs were reportedly running freely on the property, many of whom appeared underweight and had poor-quality coats. Such conditions typically indicate an inadequate diet and unsanitary living conditions.
The deputy located the Animal Control Officer, who was trying to unload animals from a large U-Haul box truck. As the deputy approached the vehicle, a strong, foul odor emanated from it. Upon inspecting the rear, the deputy found the conditions unbearable. Several deceased animals were reportedly inside crates in the U-Haul truck, which lacked proper ventilation. The truck’s interior had approximately 3 to 4 inches of water, presumably from attempts to cool or clean the animals. However, if cleaning was the intent, it was insufficient, as feces, urine, and wastewater covered the cages. U-Haul trucks are not designed for transporting animals, which contributed to the disastrous conditions.
Inside the U-Haul, six large dogs of various breeds were deceased. The deputy then moved to the back of the property, where more than twenty additional dogs were discovered in kennels, each measuring approximately 10 feet by 10 feet and connected in an L-shape. The first three kennels housed dogs, many of which were suffering and in distress. Some dogs were already deceased, while others were barely clinging to life. A few dogs could move around, but they did not have the energy typically expected for their ages. Animals that were scarcely alive appeared lethargic, and a quick inspection of their gums indicated anemia. Several dogs were lying on their loose, bloody stools due to their inability to move.
The smell inside the kennels was horrific, resembling that of iron, likely from the blood present in the animals’ stools. It also had a strong odor of decay. Deceased animals showed signs of rigor mortis, and flies swarmed them. The kennels themselves were filthy, covered in feces, and emitted an ammonia-like smell due to high levels of urine. The unsanitary conditions rendered the kennels unfit for animal habitation, and most of the living animals exhibited signs of disease and other medical issues.
The animals were confiscated and taken into custody by Bartow County Animal Control. After collecting all the dogs outside, the property owner consented to law enforcement entry into the residence to check the welfare of the animals inside. Given the exigent circumstances, including unsanitary conditions and the presence of deceased dogs and fragile animals, it was essential to examine the welfare of the other animals in the house.
The property owner cooperated fully with the deputies, directing them to a bedroom adjacent to the living room, where the animals were. Upon entering the bedroom, a deputy found five dogs. Although their living conditions were somewhat better than outside, they were still far from ideal. Feces, urine, and blood covered the floor. The animals were treading through the waste and lying on bedding soaked in feces and urine.
Law enforcement took the animals from the home due to poor living conditions and concerns about their welfare and safety. On May 26th, they removed a total of 46 dogs from the property and took one more dog on May 27th, bringing the total to 47 dogs. Unfortunately, 10 of these animals had already passed away. During their transport to the Bartow County Animal Shelter, another four dogs passed away due to the poor conditions.
At the shelter, the veterinarian examined the remaining animals and determined that 16 dogs were in too poor a condition for treatment, leading to their humane euthanization. In total, the veterinarian euthanized 16 dogs; 14 were already deceased either on the property or during transport, and 18 were quarantined and monitored for potential diseases.
Based on testimonial evidence and physical evidence found at the scene, deputies arrested the primary caretakers of the dogs, 21-year-old Alicia Kelly-Anne Alsup from Taylorsville and 23-year-old Tucker Scott Campbell from Acworth, for aggravated animal cruelty.
The initial investigation revealed that Alicia and Tucker were using a U-Haul truck to transport the animals in an attempt to rehome them. Alicia stated they traveled up to two hours out of state with the dogs in crates inside an un-air-conditioned, unventilated U-Haul truck. The outside temperatures were in the mid-to-upper 80s, with humidity levels in the 90s. While Alicia claimed they took breaks for the dogs, the lack of ventilation put the animals in severe distress, ultimately leading to the deaths of several dogs during transport.
In addition to Alicia and Tucker, several friends assisted in loading the animals into the U-Haul truck. They contributed to the neglect of the dogs. Based on testimonial evidence, deputies also arrested 26-year-old Gabriel Alex Cammon from Douglasville, 77-year-old Garland Windsor Adams from Acworth, and 27-year-old Cody Noah Reimer from Acworth for aggravated animal cruelty.
Alicia, Tucker, and Cody were aware of the harsh weather conditions but continued to allow the transport of the dogs in these poor circumstances without providing the basic care and preventive measures that a reasonable person would have taken under similar circumstances.