22 ANIMALS LEFT IN CARS IN SWELTERING HEAT FOR DAYS

Aug 17, 2007 06:04 PM EDT
Jennie Runevitch/Eyewitness News


Greenwood - Twenty-two dogs and cats were left in danger inside sweltering vehicles for days. Most were saved, and now two women face charges.

The nearly two-dozen cats and dogs are malnourished, dehydrated, diseased.

"He's the friendliest of all of them," said Dr. Andrew Mills, Franklin Animal Clinic, patting one of the victims.

The animals are recovering at the Johnson County Animal Shelter after spending three days caged in crates inside a van and SUV. Animal control officers call it one of the worst cases of animal cruelty they've seen.

Veterinarians call it heartbreaking.

"Both the cats and the dogs had obviously been in feces and urine for...at least five to seven days with no changing or cleaning of any sort," said Dr. Mills. "Took me about two seconds to understand these animals have not...there's no understanding of good care."

Prosecutors charged a Tennessee mother and daughter - Patricia and Dawn Galloway - with animal cruelty. The women claim they rescue animals. But police say when they spent three days at the Greenwood Holiday Inn Express this month, their pets stayed in the parking lot.

The clerk at the Holiday Inn called police after guests all the way on the third floor complained of a stench coming through their vents. Police found the smell coming from the two vehicles, full of animals, on the lot.

The 22 cats and dogs were piled together for days in 90-degree heat. Four had to be hospitalized. One didn't make it. Many of the others were in desperate need of care.

"Its fur had really adhered to its skin and we shaved it here," said Dr. Mills.

Two weeks later scars remain. All the animals have severe respiratory infections, but animal control says they will survive.

Those cats and dogs are still healing, so they aren't ready to be adopted just yet. But they will be soon.

Patricia and Dawn Galloway bonded out of the Johnson County Jail. Since one of the pets died, prosecutors plan to up the charges against the women to felonies. The hope now is that someone will give these pets, a better home.