Malnourished Dogs Found Eating Dead Pigs, Couple Arrested

LAMAR COUNTY, GA -- A couple has been arrested after 44 dogs were found matted and living in their own feces and urine on their property, in what the Atlanta Humane Society called a puppy mill.

Tisha Matthews and John David Matthews have been charged with animal cruelty after police found malnourished dogs eating dead pigs inside a fenced in area at the couple's home in Lamar County.

Most of the dogs were matted badly and there was no food or drinkable water inside any of the kennels, according to a police report.

The Atlanta Humane Society has spent days working in conjunction with the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office and the Lamar County District Attorney’s Office to process and remove the dogs who have been living in neglect.

The dogs are a mix of breeds including Goldendoodles, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Great Pyrenees.

Many of the dogs are being handled by the Atlanta Humane Society and they are seeking donations to help provide them the love they have never had before and the medical care they desperately need.

Dogs are also being taken into the care of Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters and Great Pyrenees Rescue of Atlanta.

Here's how to donate in support of these dogs.

For more information about your favorite type of pet, you can also visit the Humane Society's Pet Alert page.