Vet says animal abuse worst he's seen

SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTHI) - The sheriff’s department in Sullivan County is cracking a suspected case of animal abuse and cruelty one veterinarian calls the worst he’s ever seen.

A tip on Tuesday afternoon led investigators to a mobile home on South Main Pleasant Street, in the small town of Pleasantville, where sheriff’s deputies found the unthinkable:  three dog carcasses, two dog skulls, and two dogs surviving – but barely – one, by feeding on the carcass of his cage mate, according to staffers at the Humane Society of Sullivan County.

“It’s the worst neglect and abuse case that I’ve ever seen in 47 years,” said Allen Lueking, DVM, a retired veterinarian who volunteers at the shelter.

Lueking examined the two surviving dogs currently being held at the shelter as evidence in an ongoing investigation that could net the animals’ owners some serious felony charges.

The two new shelter residents are of a “hound dog” breed, based on staffers’ best estimation; they are newly named “Charlie,” who’s said to be the stronger of the two, and “Bocephus,” a mixed breed pup believed to be well under a year old.

“The beagle (Bocephus) was very thin,” shared Doctor Lueking, as he examined both animals. “But anyway, he’s got a good, pink color now. He’s only about 6 to 8 months old. These type of dogs are very resilient.”

That’s probably a good thing considering both dogs, according to staffers, will be up for public adoption once the criminal proceedings play out in court.

“This dog had been eating on one of the other dead dogs,” Doctor Lueking said, while examining Bocephus, who was trapped in a caged kennel with only his companion dog’s carcass for nourishment.

As of news time Wednesday, no formal charges had been filed in the animal cruelty case. Sheriff’s deputy David Holmes, the lead investigator in the case, did not return phone calls to News 10 by day’s end.