A couple in North Carolina has been charged with animal cruelty after authorities raided their breeding facility. Nearly thirty large breed dogs were seized from the property in Wilson, N.C.
Wilson County deputies removed 28 Great Danes, Mastiffs and Dobermans from outdoor kennels at the facility run by Cyndi and Joe Williams. Wilson county officials were assisted in the seizure by animal welfare staff from The Humane Society of the United States, the SPCA of Wake County and theCyndi and Joe Williams
"What led to this was just years of complaints from consumers who were getting sick puppies," said Kim Alboum, state director of the Humane Society of The United States. Local rescue groups have taken in many of the breeding dogs the breeders have gotten rid of over the years, Alboum said
"What we saw in this particular facility were a lot of dogs with old and new wounds," she said. "We saw a lot of infections like staph, mange, but, many of the dogs were just so, they just seemed broken."
Cyndi and Joe Williams were each charged with one count of animal cruelty, it is unknown if additional charges will be brought against the couple.
North Carolina does not require inspections of breeding facilities.
