Troy Houston Autry is charged with 35 counts of cruelty to animals by the Rowan County Sheriff's Department.
The Gold Hill man was charged after the sheriff office received a complaint about the terrible situation at the Autry home. The officer arriving first on the scene, described the conditions as "horrendous."
Dawn Hager, a Rowan County Animal Control Officer has been on the job for just six months and was taken aback at what she found in the home. Roaches, ammonia smell, feces, no dog food in bowls, only two bowls of water in the kitchen and dogs in crates everywhere greeted her.
The single wide mobile home at 13425 Highway 52 in Gold Hill contained dozens of dogs, cats, and a parrot all sick, starving and having various medical issues. Baby, a female cocker spaniel, had matted hair, heartworms and an eye infection. There was a Boston Terrier, pregnant, who lost her litter, along with chihuahuas who were underweight.
A number of the dogs became ill and vomitted when outside of the home, probably for the first time in their lives. All were taken to the Rowan Animal Shelter.
Peggy Bost, a woman also living in the home with Autry was convicted in 2002 of animal cruelty. She was told during that time to get rid of the animals. Bost has not been charged and still is living at the Gold Hill home.
Autry has a criminal record dating back to the early 1980's and has been in prison several times. Rowan and Cabarrus Counties show records for Autry of drug possession, resisting police, assaults, several larcenies, trespassing, drunk driving and assault on a public official.
This story was reported on WBTV on February 23.
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