HENDERSON (KYTX) -- More and more animals are abandoned and starving in Rusk County, and the county is left to take care of them. CBS 19's Abby Broyles shows us why it's happening and how the county is handling the problem.
The Rusk County Sheriff's Department is busy investigating dozens of animal cruelty cases.
"There's been a dramatic increase in the number of animals that are abandoned or the owners just can't take care of the animals," Chief Ron Duncan said.
Since last summer, they've seized or rescued nearly 300 animals, mostly donkeys and horses. Chief Ron Duncan points to the down economy as a reason some owners are not keeping their animals fed.
"If you have to choose between feeding your family and keeping your lights on or feeding your animals there's no choice for them; they have to feed their animals and keep their lights on," Duncan said.
The county has partnered with the Henderson animal shelter to handle the workload. Animal control officers have been working on cases like these starving horses recently seized within Henderson city limits.
"A notice will be put up on their door or the gate to the animals that gives them 72 hours to respond," Animal control officer Veronica Whittington said.
Animal cruelty violators face fines up to 500 dollars, but many times, officers can't locate the owners to hold them responsible.
"We're more and more going out and seizing animals or picking up animals that have been abandoned in rural areas," Duncan said.
The rescued animals are kept on this county-owned property in Henderson until they can be sent to animal centers and adopted out. But county leaders say this facility is inadequate - it's just too small for the number of animals they have to care of. That's why they have plans to build a new larger facility, but until that happens, the sheriff's department says this problem isn't going away anytime soon.
"We can find rescue centers where the animals can be released to but at this point in the game they're full and not taking any animals," Duncan said.
The county has worked out a deal with Luminant power company to pay for a new facility for the rescued animals. The project will cost about $40,000. The county will pay $20,000 from its general fund. Luminant will pay the other half.
