AL: Hartford man faces animal cruelty charge

Hartford man faces animal cruelty charge

By Matt Elofson
Published: February 21, 2011
Updated: February 21, 2011 - 5:04 PM

A Hartford man faces a criminal charge after police say he failed to properly feed his pitbull dog, leaving it to eat garbage for its meals.

Hartford Police Chief Ben Berry said Creg Dwayne Koonce, 43, of Hillcrest Avenue, is charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals after police responded to complaints from neighbors about the dog.

Geneva County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Tony Helms said Koonce was released from custody at the Geneva County Jail after he posted a $500 bond.

Berry said when officers recently arrived at Koonce’s home there was no food or water visible for the dog. But he said there were several other concerns that led to the criminal charge.

“The dog was not being taken care of, he was obviously not being fed like he should be,” Berry said. “The dog’s ribs were visible and the hip bones were also visible.”

Berry said animal control officers picked up the pitbull dog mix and took it to a veterinarian’s office for an examination. It was later taken to the city animal shelter. He said the veterinarian’s office examined the dog’s stomach and found it had been eating garbage.

“It was chained to the post in the yard, with what the officer described as a large towing type chain,” Berry said. “Those chains are extremely heavy. He was fairly restricted.”

Berry said police have been called to Koonce’s house for other dog-related complaints, but Berry said no charges were filed until the recent incident.

Hartford man faces animal cruelty charge | Dothan Eagle