A woman from Kentucky has been charged with 35 counts of second-degree animal cruelty after Hardin County police found 21 dead dogs in and around her home in Radcliff, which is located 30 miles from Louisville.
Kentucky woman charged with 35 counts of animal cruelty after police find 21 dead dogs at her home
Morgan Barrick owned a dog breeding business and acted as a dog show trainer and handler. The police acted on a tip from a dog owner who could not contact Barrick, and when they arrived at her home, they noticed a strong smell coming from the residence, leading them to obtain a search warrant and make an arrest.
Apart from the dead dogs, the police also found 14 other dogs, including 12 puppies, that were malnourished, as they were left without any water and food. Other dogs were said to be in danger. The police report stated that some of the dead dogs were found decomposed inside a van, wrapped in plastic, and covered with some white substance.
The remaining living pups were taken into custody by the Hardin County Animal Shelter
Barrick was released on a $2,500 bond on May 5, but she has been fired from her job as a coach for girls’ basketball at John Hardin High. The incident has caused outrage among the dog owners who boarded their pets with Barrick, with many of them taking to social media to speak out about her actions.
Kentucky’s animal abuse laws are less strict than those of other states, and animal cruelty charges result in a Class A misdemeanor instead of a felony. Barrick is scheduled to appear in court on May 31.
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