Last week, Caldwell County Animal Care Enforcement (ACE) Division received an anonymous tip about an alleged animal hoarding situation.
After obtaining a search warrant, ACE, along with Lenoir Police Department and Lenoir Fire Department, removed 80 animals, belonging to Dolly Lou Arnett and Jonathon Christopher Perry, from two Lenoir locations. At the time of the search warrant, the owners had already started moving animals from one residence to another; however, all of the animals initially lived in one residence.
Arnett and Perry chose to surrender all of their animals, which included 49 rabbits, seven cats, and 24 dogs. After medical exams, it was determined that several of the animals needed medical attention, resulting in Arnett and Perry being charged with two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.