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Aug 12 min read

MATTHEW SCOTT NEAL, dog trainer, arrested and eleven dogs removed from his business

- North Carolina, USA -

 

The Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 32-year-old MATTHEW SCOTT NEAL (pictured), dog trainer at East Carolina Retrievers.

 

In a video posted on the department’s Facebook page, Sheriff Jackie Rogers said that at 12:30 a.m. of Wednesday, July 31, 2024, deputies executed a search warrant at NEAL’s residence and business on 2967 Ash Davis Road in Pink Hill.

 

Sheriff Rogers said that with the assistance of the Lenoir County Animal Control unit, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office’s Animal Control unit, and Duplin County Animal Control eleven (11) dogs were removed from East Carolina Retrievers and “are now in protective custody.”

 

NEAL was charged with animal cruelty in two different counties. In Lenoir County, he was hit with nine felony counts of cruelty to animals and received a $45,000 secured bond.

In Duplin County, NEAL was charged with two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and received a $2,000 secured bond.

 

WITN News reports that the felony charges stemmed from an investigation into a video showing a “man beating a dog near a mobile kennel.”

 

According to the arrest warrants obtained by WITN News the following are the explicit details of the animal abuse allegations:

 

· Used a shock collar on a female yellow Lab type dog named Maggie “until her eyes were bloodshot.”

· “‘Punch with his hands’ and held down the shock collar remote ‘for an unreasonable amount of time’” on a male Lab type dog named Tucker.

· “Hit a puppy with a PVC ‘heeling stick’ 52 times.”

· “Choked a yellow lab type dog.”

· “Shocked a black lab type dog ‘until she vomited’.”

·“Beat ‘Tucker’ a black lab type dog.”

· “Beat ‘BoBo’ a black lab type dog.”

· “Drag and beat a Shorthair Pointer named ‘Bullet’.”

· “Shocked a black lab type dog ‘for an unreasonable amount of time’.”

 

In thanking all the agencies involved that assisted with this case, Sheriff Rogers also expressed his gratitude toward the community and said: “We would also like to thank the citizens and the incredible residents who have come forward and made statements to make today’s arrest possible.”

 

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office and WITN News. Links included. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

 


NEAL’s mugshot shared from the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office






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Writer's picturevoiceforus
Jun 272 min read

MELVIN SONNY BERRY arrested and over forty innocent wolf-hybrid dogs euthanized in Davidson County

Updated: Oct 20

- North Carolina, USA -

 

The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of MELVIN “SONNY” BERRY (pictured).

 

The arrest is the result of an investigation into an animal cruelty and domestic elderly abuse and neglect case in the Denton area.

 

In a press release the sheriff’s office said that during the investigation, “it was determined through observations, interviews, and medical evaluations that an elderly female was living inside a residence with over 40 Wolf-Hybrid dogs.”

 

According to the press release, the woman sustained injuries which then prompted a welfare check at her trailer home.

 

Deputies found the inside and the outside conditions of the home to be uninhabitable for people and dogs.

 

The sheriff’s office said the dogs inside the home “were not social and were later determined to be feral.” 

Following consultations with medical and veterinary experts the dogs had to be euthanized to protect public safety as well as the safety of surrounding animals in the area due to the diseases they were exposed to and carrying.

 

A Superior Court judge signed an order directing the furvictims to be euthanized.

 

Another case where Innocent Souls paid the price for mankind’s ignorance, stupidity, and cruelty!

 

BERRY was arrested on June 24, 2024, and charged with twenty (20) misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, one misdemeanor count of local ordinance, and one felony count of domestic elderly abuse/neglect with serious injuries.

 

Look at that! Abuse of innocent dogs which resulted in them being euthanized is a misdemeanor!

 

BERRY is slated to appear in Lexington District Court on July 23, 2024.

 

Anyone with further information related to this case is asked to contact Deputy C. Soles at the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division at (336) - 242 - 2105. Thank you!

 

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. Link included.

Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

 

 

BERRY’s mugshot shared from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office




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Writer's picturevoiceforus
May 133 min read

CASSIDY GILL, former employee of Hollywood Pets, arrested after video showed her abusing dogs

Updated: Oct 20

- Virginia, USA -

 

The Danville Police Department announced the arrest of 22-year-old CASSIDY GILL (pictured), of Roxboro, North Carolina.

 

The arrest follows a distressing video that was recorded by a former employee of Hollywood Pets on Hairston Street in Danville and showed GILL, who was also employed at Hollywood Pets, hitting dogs and cursing at them.

 

In a media release, police said that the incidents took place in January and February 2024, but they became aware of them on May 9, 2024, leading Animal Control to launch an investigation.

 

The owner of Hollywood Pets, Derek Holley, wrote in a Facebook post:

“Dear Customers,

In light of recent videos being circulated on social media I would like to shed some insight to best of my ability and be as transparent as possible.

I received the videos on Friday, April 26th from PETA. After reviewing them I spoke with the employee involved first thing on her next scheduled work day Monday April 29th. At this time her employment was terminated immediately !  Apparently the videos had been recorded some time ago but were not presented to me when the incidents occurred. Only after our previous groomer ( who captured the videos  )  was terminated on April 15th  did she decide it was in her best interest to release them to PETA. The withholding of evidence of inexcusable behavior by a fellow employee to me is almost as reprehensible as the act itself.  In addition, the installment of video surveillance cameras has been scheduled which will provide me with constant monitoring of all grooming activities in the future. 

We deeply regret any of this occurred and I assure you these were isolated incidents . We have served Danville and the surrounding areas for 16 years and our reputation is excellent. I have spoken with numerous customers about the situation and they have been very supportive. For this we thank you ! 

In conclusion , I stand by and have full trust in the current staff here at Hollywood Pets , especially our new groomer Sydney Bayless, who started on April 29th ! I am available to try and answer any and all questions for our current customers regarding my handling of these events.”

 

ABC13 interviewed the former employee who recorded GILL abusing and mistreating the defenseless dogs. She explained that she told the owner several times that she saw employees abusing dogs and that she recorded the videos to have concrete proof.

 

She told ABC13: “Whether it was the owner of Hollywood Pets or anyone else to show that I was telling the truth and I was witnessing animal abuse.” She also said: “He was aware of three cases that I brought to his attention that staff were hitting dogs. He only fired the one staff member (Gill) after PETA reached out to him with the videos.”

 

According to ABC13, the former employee was fired from Hollywood Pets on April 15, 2024, and reports: “She says by speaking out, that she's just trying to do the right thing.”

 

On May 10, 2024, Animal Control and detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit arrested GILL and charged her with animal cruelty. Police say no other criminal charges are expected.

  

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Danville Police Department. Link included. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

 

 

GILL’s mugshot shared from the Danville Police Department.




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