Athens man charged after aggressive, neglected dogs found loose
Courtesy: Citizen Page – City of Athens Facebook Page, Sandra Caylor Climovech
ATHENS, Tenn. (WDEF) — A man is facing multiple felony charges after officers discovered several aggressive, neglected dogs running loose near an Athens residence.
On September 9, 2025, officers with the Athens Police Department (APD) were dispatched to 507 West Bank Street following reports of dogs running around and damaging property.
When officers arrived, they found multiple loose dogs acting aggressively toward them.
According to the APD, the homeowner was present but unable to control the animals.
The Athens Animal Shelter, a veterinarian with the McMinn County Humane Society, and other agencies were called to assist.
Three dogs were later captured outside the residence.
Upon further investigation, the homeowner told police he had more dogs inside the house, and admitted to previously allowing a mother dog and six puppies to starve to death earlier in the year.
Officers consulted the District Attorney’s Office and obtained a search warrant to enter the residence.
Crews recovered four additional dogs from inside what authorities described as a dilapidated structure.
All animals were taken to the McMinn County Humane Society for assessment and treatment.
The homeowner now faces several charges, including:
- Aggravated Animal Cruelty
- Animal Neglect
- Facilitation of animal neglect
The man also threatened to shoot law enforcement officers during the incident.
He was also charged with retaliation for past actions, and officers seized two firearms from the home.
“I want to commend the officers and personnel of all agencies involved for this operation that took numerous hours to complete. These folks dealt with very difficult working conditions while attempting to capture these animals and never gave up until the conclusion of this stage.”
– Deputy Chief Jason B. Garren
If you suspect animal abuse or neglect, please contact the APD at 423-744-2730 or the Athens Animal Shelter.
