Latest news with #CobbCountyAnimalServices
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Police searching for woman accused of leaving pet to die inside Cobb County apartment
Police in Cobb County are looking for a woman accused of leaving her pet to die inside her apartment. In that apartment, Cobb County Animal Services told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell they found two other pets near death, a cat and a dog. Investigators went to check out the apartment after getting a tip, Newell learned. They found a dead bearded dragon inside. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'The dog and cat both came in, they were both very near death,' Steve Hammond, Director of Animal Services, told Channel 2 Action News. Inside the apartment, police found deplorable conditions, saying the woman left her animals inside for months. 'The person renting the apartment hadn't been seen since January,' Hammond said. 'Almost three months since they had last been seen.' TRENDING STORIES: Boil water advisory issued in Buckhead neighborhood where residents haven't had water for 24 hours LIVE UPDATES: Severe Thunderstorm Warnings issued across metro Atlanta Georgia Tech student killing: Shooter snuck into apartment building, waited for victim, police say Investigators said they got involved in the case in April after receiving a tip that the animals had been left alone in the apartment. 'We found the cat that was severely emaciated, also an emaciated dog and a deceased bearded dragon,' Hammond said. The bearded dragon may have starved to death, investigators told Newell, and the cat and dog were visibly, severely underweight. 'They were what we call a one out of nine on the body condition scoring,' Hammond explained. Now police are looking for the renter, Destiny Jackson, who is facing numerous charges, including aggravated cruelty to animals. Hammond promised that the department 'will hunter her down.' cobb county Animal Services is urging pet owners to take advantage of the resources they offer to help prevent deaths of animals. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Emaciated pets discovered in Cobb County woman's apartment
The Brief Destiny Jackson faces animal cruelty and abandonment charges after leaving three pets in deplorable conditions, resulting in one dead and two near death. The apartment was found uninhabitable, with scattered possessions, feces, and urine; Jackson has not been seen since January, and an arrest warrant is issued. Cobb County Animal Services emphasizes available resources for pet owners unable to care for their animals, and the surviving cat and dog have been adopted. COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A 24-year-old Cobb County woman is facing charges after authorities say she abandoned three pets in deplorable conditions at a local apartment complex, leaving one of the animals dead and two others near death. What we know Animal cruelty and abandonment charges have been filed against Destiny Jackson, who rented a unit at The Parc @ 75 on Delk Road. Investigators say she left behind a dog, a cat, and a reptile—potentially for weeks, if not months. The surviving animals, an orange tabby cat and a Shih Tzu dog, were discovered emaciated and clinging to life. What they're saying "They were very near death," said Steve Hammond, director of Cobb County Animal Services. "You could touch and feel every bone in their body. They were both well underweight and had probably started into cannibalizing the muscle to survive." A bearded dragon was also found inside the apartment, but it did not survive. "The bearded dragon was deceased," Hammond said. Authorities described the apartment as uninhabitable, littered with scattered possessions and reeking of urine. "There was feces all over the place, urine as well," Hammond said. "The conditions were unsuitable for people or animals." An arrest warrant has been issued for Jackson. Apartment management told investigators she had not been seen since January. Police are continuing efforts to locate her. "She'll be arrested and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals and abandonment of domestic animals," Hammond said. Big picture view Hammond emphasized that resources are available for pet owners who are unable to continue caring for their animals. "We're a resource for the community," he said. "If you have an animal you can't keep, can't care for, then you can turn the animal into us and we'll do everything we can to get the animal adopted." What's next Despite the grim discovery, there is some positive news—both the cat and dog were nursed back to health and have since been adopted into new homes. The Source FOX 5's Denise Dillon spoke with Steve Hammond, director of Cobb County Animal Services, for this article. A police report was obtained from the Cobb County Police Department. Jail records were obtained from the Cobb County Sheriff's Office.
Newsweek
04-05-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Senior Dog And Owner Planned to 'Grow Old Together', Then Tragedy Struck
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A senior dog was left facing an uncertain fate after tragedy ripped away the life she once had, leaving her all alone in the shelter. For the longest time all Roxanne, 13, knew was the happy home she shared with her owner. "The plan was to grow old together," Bruna, a volunteer at Cobb County Animal Services in Georgia, explained in a video posted to her TikTok, @ last month. Sadly, life had other plans. "Roxanne's owner passed away," Bruna, who only gave her first name, told Newsweek. "The family said they couldn't care for her, so they left her at the shelter." Roxanne was surrendered to the shelter at age 13. Roxanne was surrendered to the shelter at age 13. TikTok/ It's a sad scenario, but sadly it's one that has played out many times before. Stephen Hammond, Director of Cobb County Animal Services, told Newsweek: "We find as our population continues to age, more and more senior dogs and cats are outliving their owners. If the owners don't make arrangements in their wills or have family willing to take their pets, then they most often wind up in shelters. As you can imagine a pet that has lived with you for many years is now confused and lost without you." Bruna recalls Roxanne being left "heartbroken and confused" at her sudden change of circumstances. Yet even then, she could see she was a senior dog deserving and capable of seeing out their final few years in a happy home. "She was a little unsure of her surroundings, but she was a very loving and sweet girl from the beginning," Bruna said. It can sometimes be difficult for older dogs to attract attention from visitors. Many end up overlooked, enduring extended stays in the shelter as a result. In 2021, a study published in the journal Animals, based on data from a raft of no-kill shelters, sought to identify the common characteristics found among long-term shelter dogs. Time and time again, these dogs were found to be older in age, often ignored in favor of younger and more malleable canines available for adoption. "Senior dogs are generally harder to adopt out and usually don't fare well in a shelter," Hammond said. Sometimes they come with their own challenges and most adopters think they want a puppy. Adopters also think about the heartbreak of bonding with their new pet and then losing them within a few years. " Hammond notes that there are some but "not enough" willing to take on a senior pet. "They understand the heartbreak and are prepared for that inevitable day yet are willing to come back for the next one," he said. Bruna was determined to find one, taking to TikTok and Instagram to champion Roxanne. "Could you give her a nice and loving home for her to spend her golden years?" she asked in a post shared to both platforms. "She doesn't ask for much, all she asks for is a nice and warm bed, love, and affection." Her efforts had the desired effect. The video explaining Roxanne's situation went viral, amassing over 340,000 views. More importantly, when the dust had settled on social media, Bruna was pleased to announce that a family had decided to adopt Roxanne. Not only that, they had gone to incredible lengths to give her the forever home she deserved. "Her new family saw her video here on TikTok and drove all the way here to adopt her," Bruna revealed. "They said it took them 12 hours to come, and on the way back they left the shelter at noon and arrived back home at 3 am because of traffic." Hammond added: "Seeing a dog like Roxanne leave the shelter brings joy to all of us. We see a lot of bad and sad situations in our line of work, but it is times like this when a dog like Roxanne leaves the shelter, we are reminded the good in the world always outweighs the bad. It also provides our Team with renewed purpose and the energy to carry on knowing they are making a difference everyday. Roxanne is now adjusting to another new environment with her new family in Pennsylvania. While some adjustment will be required, Roxanne has all the attributes needed to make it a happy home. It's a remarkable turnaround for a dog that was once facing the most uncertain of futures and a reminder that there is still hope for each and every senior shelter dog.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Cobb couple charged with cruelty after emaciated dog found during warrant search
Police say they discovered a dog in horrifying conditions while executing a search warrant. Investigators told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell that they found a picture of the pit bull severely underweight in a case next to an AR-15. The dog, Agnus, was found in bad condition while they were executing a search warrant tied to a homicide case. The search warrant for the case did not result in criminal charges, but charges were filed for the condition Agnus was in. 'One of the officers took a picture, full-time sent it to Detective Whitley, our cruelty investigator, and realized this is a cruelty case,' said Cobb County Animal Services Director Steve Hammond. 'You could see at that point she was starving, she was not being fed properly.' Police said Stephon Gaines and Edaeshia Calhoun are responsible for the severe condition they found Agnus in. TRENDING STORIES: Federal investigators identify man they say is behind largest fentanyl bust in Georgia history Judge says Young Thug didn't violate his probation with social media repost Victim trails suspect in Snellville road rage gunfire, helps make arrest 'The spine, the hips, so all the bony prominences were there the muscle loss was there from a lack of feeding as well,' Hammond said. Calhoun is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. Gaines, who is facing the same charge, is at the center of two other criminal investigations. He is accused of having a stolen gun in one case. In another case, police say he was shooting a gun on a sidewalk. 'We always talk about the links to other crimes,' Hammond said. Cobb County Animal Services now has a wall of all the arrests they've been able to make since they hired a full-time investigator in 2015. 'It's a reminder to us of the work we are doing and how important the work is,' Hammond said. As for Agnus, she is now happy and healthy. 'The dog was adopted by somebody from the police department,' Hammond said. As for the search warrant police were executing when they found Agnus, Newell learned the warrant was for Calhoun. She was not charged in the case. She is only charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Extremely emaciated puppy abandoned near Cobb home in freezing weather
Detectives in Cobb County are seeking the public's help in identifying a person connected to an aggravated animal cruelty case. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Crime Stoppers said the incident happened on Feb. 21. On Feb. 22, just before 1 p.m., authorities said a Good Samaritan reported the incident to Cobb County Animal Services. The witness said an unidentified man had abandoned an extremely emaciated mixed-breed puppy, resembling a labradoodle, in a metal cage near a home on Forest Lane SE in Marietta. Surveillance video shows the man dropping off the cage and running away. TRENDING STORIES: North GA volunteer firefighter arrested for sharing photos of twins' death scene on social media Georgia Tech student realizes his classmate is the doctor who delivered him Ex-UGA player kicked off team after child cruelty arrest reaches plea deal According to detectives, the cage did not have food, water, or bedding. At that time, the dog was left in between 30 to 32 degrees weather, officials said. On Feb. 24, doctors examined the puppy and found that the ribs, spine, pelvic bones, and all bones close to the skin's surface were visible from a distance. There was no visible body fat, but there was a significant loss of muscle mass. Anyone who recognized the man or has any information on the case can submit a tip anonymously by calling the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-8477, submitting a tip online, or by texting CSGA and the tip to 738477. You can also contact Det. Whitley via email. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
