Animal rescuers say they were saving pups from ruined building. They were arrested
When two animal rescuers tried to retrieve four puppies underneath a house set to be demolished in Arkansas, they were met with resistance by the owner, rescuer Mary Scott-Mckinney said in a TikTok video.
“The owner had threatened to bulldoze the house on top of the puppies, so we were trying desperately to get them out of there,” Scott-Mckinney told KNWA.
Scott-Mckinney, 29, and Connie Mcmillan, 73, were later arrested on trespassing charges, deputies said. They spent about 19 hours in jail between Feb. 6 and Feb. 7, records show.
Franklin County deputies say their investigation did not reveal any abuse or endangerment of the puppies.
“The puppies appear to be very healthy and well fed,” the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. “All of the puppies have been adopted.”
Outcry from commenters on Facebook are asking police to show photos of the puppies to prove they are safe.
On Feb. 5, deputies say the mayor of Altus called police about an injured dog that may have been hit by a car on the property. The property owner was contacted by the sheriff’s office. He told deputies the dog was not on the property when he arrived, according to the news release.
Deputies later learned a 40-year-old took the injured dog. Scott-Mckinney said the porch was demolished with the dog under it.
The injured dog and some of the puppies were taken by the man, and the injured dog was treated at the vet, according to Scott-Mckinney’s video on TikTok.
Deputies said there were several other 10-14 week old puppies under the house and that the owner had been feeding them for multiple days.
The next day, Feb. 6, Mckinney and Micmillan arrived at the property looking to retrieve the puppies from under the home.
“All the guy really needs to do is hand over the puppies,” Mckinney said in a TikTok video. The owner would not allow them onto the property, and police were called.
The four remaining puppies were retrieved, and deputies say they are healthy, according to the news release. Both Scott-Mckinney and Mcmillan were charged with criminal trespassing.
Attorney information for Scott-Mckinney and Mcmillan was not listed. Facebook posts from Artemis Project Facebook, where the two work, said they were seeking legal representation.
“Everyone really just wants the best for these puppies. We want to make sure their welfare is okay, that they are safe and are in a happy environment where they are going to be taken care of,” Scott-Mckinney told KNWA.
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