Galena man charged after 29 dead dogs found on property, 55 others rescued 'in distress'
John M. Griffiths faces a litany of animal abuse charges after the Stone County Sheriff's Office said it discovered 29 dead dogs and 55 others freezing and malnourished in pens on the man's Galena property.
Several other dead animals were also found the at Camp Clark Hill Road residence on Jan. 19, according to the sheriff's office, including five goats, a cat, and two birds.
Griffiths, 34, has been charged with 29 counts of misdemeanor animal abuse in a case that has been aided by the Humane Society of Missouri's Animal Cruelty Task Force of St. Louis, which sent a representative to the scene. It was unclear in the police report whether the man was breeding the dogs for business purposes.
A Stone County deputy who responded to a call arrived on the property and immediately saw multiple dogs feeding on the carcass of a dead dog. Most of these dogs reportedly had no access to food or water.
"On a nearby pile of debris, five deceased dogs and three deceased goats lay frozen on the ground," the deputy's report read. "The animals were deficient of muscle and fatty tissue. Their skin and fur looked stretched over their abnormally apparent skeletons. ln an adjacent pile, there was ash and partially burnt bone remnants indicating the intent to burn the aforementioned pile as well."
Animal rescue technicians and veterinarians used a large trailer to transport the surviving animals back to St. Louis to be examined by the Humane Society of Missouri.
Griffiths, who reportedly signed a transfer of ownership provided by the Humane Society of Missouri during the investigation, appears to have since posted bail that was set at $10,000. He was in Stone County Jail over the weekend.
Ryan Collingwood covers a wide range of topics for the News-Leader with an emphasis on public safety. He can be reached by phone at 417-258-8174 and email at rcollingwood@news-leader.com. You can also follow Ryan on social media at X.com/rwcollingwood
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri man charged after 29 dead dogs found on property
