HCSO: Trailer Park Landlord Wanted for Alleged Animal Cruelty

The Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warrant for a man facing nine counts of aggravated animal cruelty.

A report from the department says they went to a neighborhood to do a welfare check on dogs last Friday. Upon speaking with witnesses, they told authorities that the landlord over the trailer park, suspect Benjamin Reece had been gone for 11 days.

They located eight dogs, owned by Reece in his backyard in small cages, with some that had cuts, all of them extremely emaciated, living in piles of their own feces, and had no food to eat. One dog was found deceased attached to its dog house by collar and chain.

The eight dogs were taken to the Hawkins County Humane Society to be treated and police issued a warrant for Reece’s arrest.