A Laurel County animal rescue organization whose director has been charged with criminal abuse after state police found more than 130 neglected and abused dogs at its facilities Thursday, was one of the groups that has worked with in the past to find new homes for dogs at the Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter.
Stephanie Fields, 40, of London, founder and Director of Homeward Bound Rescue was charged, with one count of second-degree criminal abuse following an investigation by Kentucky State Police Trooper John Pratt.
“Pratt said in his 30 years in law enforcement, it was one of the worst cases of animal abuse he has seen,” said Trooper Lloyd Cochran, public affairs officer at Post 11 in London.
Cochran said the investigation began November 24 following a complaint to police of possible animal abuse..
As part of the investigation, Pratt went to the facility where he found 30 dogs. Those 30 dogs were removed from the home.
Following the investigation, Pratt secured an arrest warrant and returned to the facility Thursday morning to serve it.
Cochran said, at that time, Pratt found 130 additional dogs in a neglected and/or abused condition.
Fields is being held in the Laurel County Detention Center on a $500 cash bond.
Under Kentucky Law, the charge is a Class A misdemeanor, carrying a potential sentence of up to one year in jail.
Laurel County Animal Control was called to the scene.
The Friends of the Laurel County Animal Shelter have put out a state-wide call for help from other rescue groups to help take the pressure off of the Laurel County Animal Shelter. The shelter routinely operates at or near capacity.
Mary Ann Smyth, president of the Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter said Homeward Bound has regularly worked with the shelter up until the allegations surfaced in November.
“She (Fields) has not pulled from us since then,” Smyth said.
Smyth said it is unknown whether any of the affected dogs came from the Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter.
Smyth noted the shelter takes in animals from Clay Knox, McCreary and Whitley counties. The shelter is on pace to take in 6,500 to 7,000 animals in 2015.
“About 80 percent of those are brought in by the owner,” Smyth noted.
