A week after 630 dogs were rescued from a South Georgia breeder’s business, a Berrien County man has been arrested for bringing back another 85 puppies, the sheriff’s office said.
Reason Craig Gray, 58, was arrested Thursday after investigators with the Department of Agriculture called the Berrien County deputies to tell them Gray admitted to bringing more dogs back to his Barney Parker Road Property just days after hundreds were taken, the agency wrote on its Facebook page.
Gray’s business, Georgia Puppies, made national headlines this week after authorities said they found about 630 dogs living in “horrific conditions” on the breeder’s property.
Authorities said they found the dogs living in 3-by-4 foot crates at the business in the small town of Nashville, Ga.
Credit: Atlanta Humane Society
Credit: Atlanta Humane Society
“They were living outside in homemade sheds, and the crates were stacked on top of each other,” Atlanta Humane Society spokeswoman Christina Hill said. “So when they went to the bathroom, it would drip down onto the other dogs.”
Berrien Sheriff Ray Paulk said Gray moved the 85 dogs, most of which were puppies, sometime during the voluntary surrender of his 630 dogs last week, bringing them back a day or two later.
“There are many questions yet to be answered and one huge one is how this licensed pet dealer was allowed to have an operation with this many beautiful creatures to be able to populate to the point of being out of control and inhumane,” Paulk said in the post, calling the dogs’ living conditions “cruel.”
The 85 puppies were taken into custody by the county’s animal control personnel, the sheriff’s office said.
Gray is being held at the Berrien County jail, with “numerous charges” pending.
“As the investigation continues to unfold, there is no way to tell just how many charges will be filed,” Paulk said. “We are currently obtaining more documentation from the veterinarian examinations, retrieving statements and reviewing the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s reports.”
Gray surrendered his pet dealer’s license to the Georgia Department of Agriculture on Saturday, authorities said.
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