WHITLEY COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – A southern Kentucky woman faces animal cruelty charges after someone reported finding dogs in bad shape for sale at a flea market.
Saundra Nickels of Corbin was served a criminal summons on Monday, court document show. Investigators say she is responsible for the abuse or neglect of 22 dogs in total.
Jamie Johnson runs Justice for Abused Animals. She calls the conditions the dogs were found in “horrifying.”
“No hair. Severe odor. Malnourished. Bad,” she said. “One had a humongous cyst on her breast area that had to be put down, that was probably as big as two of my fists.”
Some of the dogs have already been taken in by rescue groups and foster homes.
“They have life. They’re an animal,” Johnson said. “We have to speak for them. If we don’t, this is never going to stop.”
Johnson thinks the dogs were likely infested with fleas and scabies.
The criminal complaint states that Nickels is due in court July 11.
