Over 150 animals rescued from Bledsoe County

BLEDSOE COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — Nearly 150 dogs were found in a Bledsoe County home in terrible conditions.

The Bledsoe County sheriff confirms they arrested Caroline Adkins on charges of animal Cruelty.

On Friday, investigators and animal rescue agencies were on scene to look into the situation.

It was an all hands on deck situation in Bledsoe county.

The Sheriff’s office received some reports of a possible animal hoarding situation, when they arrived to check it out they were shocked.

Officials found over 150 animals living in horrible conditions.

Dogs, cats, goats, and even chickens were on the property.

The Sheriff’s Office says these animals were living in their own feces, some as deep as a foot.

The home was taped off with crime scene and while we waited nearby resident and local animal rescue volunteer expressed her concern and was ready to help in any way she could.

“They are living in this nightmare of a situation with no protection from the elements in addition to they are living in their own feces and urine, no telling what kind of skin diseases this has caused,” said Janet Gregg, with Safe Haven Puppy Sanctuary.

Agencies as far as 2 hours away stepped in to help take the animals off the property.

The animals were also given rabies vaccinations during the rescue.

Officials say this is one of the worst animal hoarding cases they have ever seen.

Residents are concerned this could happen again and want some type of animal control in the county.

McKamey and the Humane Educational Society have taken a large amount of the animals back to their shelters for evaluations and medical care.

“The animals are going to go back to the facilities and be processed. The vets will be vaccinating them and they will go through several steps after that and then eventually be put up for adoption,” Detective Hodge said.

Shelters welcomed the dogs with open arms and are just happy that they are out of a situation that would have led to their death.

The Bledsoe county sheriffs office is still investigating.