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Nearly 50 dogs seized
Mabank woman says she was operating an animal rescue effort
Special to The Monitor
MABANK–In a custody hearing Tuesday, a Mabank woman relinquished custody of 47 dogs of mixed breeds to the SPCA of Texas. Kaufman County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Johnny Adams told The Monitor that the defendent did not contest the hearing’s outcome.
Authorities contacted the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Dec. 15, after observing two deceased dogs in the backyard of a Woodlawn Street Mabank address, while responding next door to a call on an unrelated code compliance issue. Officer Robert Garcia saw that two of the many dogs in the backyard behind the house were dead. The Mabank Police Department called the SPCA of Texas and obtained a seizure warrant.
After observing the dogs’ conditions, SPCA Chief Investigator Colby Grady and Mabank Chief of Police Kyle McAfee agreed the dogs should be removed immediately. Property resident Denise Perales, 36, told officers that she was operating an animal rescue. Besides the dogs, officers found four fish, one fat-tailed gecko, a gerbil and a California king snake on the property.
Many animals were cruelly confined and were not receiving appropriate food, water or shelter.
Most of the dogs were living in their own waste inside pens outside the residence.
Both deceased dogs were found inside pens, one alone in a makeshift shelter and the other in a pen with a living dog.
Some dogs were housed inside a shed in crates and wire cages holding one to four dogs each.
No food was observed on the property and the only water the dogs had to drink was rainwater that had collected in various containers strewn around the property, Grady reported.
Some of the dogs were thin and had eye discharges.
The animals were transported to the SPCA of Texas’ Perry Animal Care Center, located at 8411 Stacy Rd. in McKinney.
The animal owner said she was finding homes for the dogs through giveaways and sales, McAfee said.
Anyone who suspects inhumane conditions or animal neglect in their area should contact the SPCA of Texas or local law enforcement agency.
To help support the SPCA of Texas and its efforts to help abused, neglected and homeless animals and other programs and services, go to www.spca.org.

Let’s welcome home the troops
The Monitor would like to recognize our returning troops with a special tribute in January and asks readers to submit photos and stories about their loved ones recently returned from Afghanistan and Iraq as a result of the President’s troop recall.
Send your stories and photos to the newspaper by Jan. 20, 2012 by e-mail at publisher@themonitor.net, or by mail at The Monitor, P.O. Box 48, Mabank TX 75147, or simply drop it off at the office, located at 1316 S. Third St. next to Groom & Sons Ace Hardware between 8:30 a.m and 4:30 p.m.M-F.
All submissions should include a contact name and phone number, details of military service and a photo.

Tip turns up $250,000 worth of meth
Monitor Staff Reports
TERRELL–Kaufman County Narcotics investigators made a sizable methamphetamine drug bust Dec. 6 at a Terrell hotel.
According to a press release from the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, more than two pounds of meth with a street value greater than $250,000, along with $5,000-plus in cash.
The bust was sprung after narcotics investigators received an anonymous tip claiming a drug operation was set up in a hotel room and the operators used a Chevrolet Malibu.
While investigators were setting up surveillance the suspected Malibu left the hotel. Police followed the car and stopped it on I-20, where the suspects reportedly gave permission for the car to be searched.
The search resulted in finding more than a pound of meth and the arrest of two individuals.
After the passengers were taken into custody, a search warrant for the hotel room was issued and another pound or more of meth was found in the room, along with a wanted man, Jack O’Neil Hargrove, 47, of Royce City, who had outstanding warrants and was said to be armed and dangerous.
He was taken into custody at the hotel, along with one other.
A total of four people, Hargrove, Sharon Boatright, 48, and Connie Krystine Boatright, 17, both of Terrell and Crystal Jordan, 30, of Greenville, were charged with various drug offenses.
Hargrove was held without bond. The Boatrights were being held on bonds of $500,000 each and Jordan’s bond for the drug charge was set at $100,000.