Siblings each charged with 25 counts of animal cruelty

Monday, September 26, 2022
Courtesy photo/PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Two Reelsville area residents — a brother and sister — have each been charged with 25 counts of animal cruelty after dozens of dogs in their care were found in “deplorable conditions” earlier this month.

Julia A. Gray, 60, and James M. Gray, 55, were each charged with 25 Class A misdemeanors after 34 dogs — mostly German shepherds but one rottweiler — were located on their property.

In court documents filed a week after the dogs were located, more details about the case came to light.

The case started when Animal Control Officer Kris Wallace responded to an animal welfare check on the property on Thursday, Sept. 8, finding a severely emaciated dog lying in a field.

Wallace contacted a local veterinarian, Dr. Brandon Miller, who took the dog into custody, but later had to put it down for its injuries.

With permission from the Grays, Wallace returned to the property with Maj. Dwight Simmons and Deputy Kyle Lee of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. The found and documented several dogs that were locked in cages, covered in feces and urine. They were reportedly emaciated and lacked access to food or water.

They also located a locked shed with no visible ventilation or air conditioning, inside of which several more dogs could be heard barking.

On Sept. 9, Cpl. Scott Ducker returned to the property with a search warrant. At that time, a total of 35 dogs were located, including 11 in the small shed, locked in small cages covered in urine and feces. One deceased dog was found in a cage, covered in flies.

Dr. Jason Huff, another local veterinarian, took three dogs into custody for emergency treatment.

Another five dogs were found in another shed in which the temperature showed at 96 degrees.

Another 19 were located around the property.

All dogs on the property except for a blue heeler that was allegedly a service dog, were found to be emaciated, smelling of urine and feces.

Neither of the Grays could provide valid immunization records for the animals.

An initial hearing for the Grays has been set for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5 before Putnam Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges.

Comments
View 11 comments
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.
  • Hopefully our justice system doesn’t fail these abused and neglected animals. They didn’t get in this way in a short amount of time. Glad to see that 2 of our well known deputies who are proud animal advocates were on the scene on this one.

    -- Posted by fedUPtaxpayer2 on Mon, Sep 26, 2022, at 7:34 PM
  • Some humans are a lower form of life than the animals they are supposed to care for. Let's hope the prosecutor and judge deliver justice for these poor dogs.

    -- Posted by Ben Dover on Mon, Sep 26, 2022, at 8:28 PM
  • There are several puppy mills around the Reelsville area. Hopefully all the people responsible for them will receive the same level of respect they show their animals.

    -- Posted by techphcy on Mon, Sep 26, 2022, at 11:07 PM
  • What is wrong with people? I wish I could take all those fur babies.

    -- Posted by your mom on Tue, Sep 27, 2022, at 12:07 AM
  • Those poor dogs. Thanks to everyone who showed kindness to them. How can anyone do this. I don't understand 25 misdemeanors for 34 dogs????? Is there nothing in the law that says so many misdemeanors equal a felony? They should never be allowed to own an animal again.

    -- Posted by whatruthinking2 on Tue, Sep 27, 2022, at 7:16 AM
  • These idiots need to spend time in a cage; so they can see how these poor dogs feel! And yes, they do have feelings!

    -- Posted by ValHalla84 on Tue, Sep 27, 2022, at 9:42 AM
  • *

    Ah, the voices of reason...

    How about you at least let these people have their day in court and be given a chance to defend themselves before you grab the rope?

    Surely that isn't too much of an inconvenience for you fine Christian folk, is it?

    It's just possible that these people started out trying to do something good - rescue dogs - and got in over their heads.

    Or maybe they are hoarders, with a mental defect that could mitigate some of their wrongdoing, if not the hatred y'all display.

    Or maybe they were bad breeders.

    But at the end of the day, dogs are still animals. And while it is sad to see any animals treated poorly or abused (in that they are still creatures of God), they are not special. Animals should never be placed in equal standing to humans.

    To do so is unGodly.

    LOL - puppy mills. Do they mill puppies? Grind their bones into flour and make dog biscuits?

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Tue, Sep 27, 2022, at 11:07 PM
  • I can't believe it took so long for someone to turn them in. These people need to be locked up for a long time. Let's hope the JUDGES and PROSECUTORS give them the maximum sentence. Animals are just as important as people.

    -- Posted by Queen53 on Wed, Sep 28, 2022, at 4:19 PM
  • wow

    -- Posted by beg on Wed, Sep 28, 2022, at 7:52 PM
  • dreadpirateroberts: You have a very sick sense of humor. Nothing is funny about puppy mills or making jokes about dog biscuits. You definitely would benefit from some mental health counseling.

    -- Posted by Queen53 on Thu, Sep 29, 2022, at 5:25 PM
  • *

    LOL - so says the person that is ready to put to death without benefit of trial anyone that disagrees with them and equates animals with people.

    "Puppy mill" is simply a disparagement against breeders.

    But maybe not the breeders some of you got your dogs from, of course. LOL.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Thu, Sep 29, 2022, at 11:46 PM
Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: