A Texas man has been apprehended and charged with animal cruelty after allegedly adopting pets and subsequently killing them. The Bowie County Sheriff’s Office was notified on October 3rd about a series of dogs that had vanished from local residences. One of the informants pointed to a potential dog thief residing in the vicinity.
As law enforcement officers conducted a sweep of the Simms area, they arrived at the residence of Stuart Duncan Hammonds and his partner. The officers detected a foul odor, reminiscent of decomposing animals. Upon further investigation, they discovered seven animal carcasses scattered around the property and barn. Among the remains, 12 skeletal structures were identified as dogs, some of which showed signs of head trauma, suggesting they may have been shot.
The Sheriff’s Office believes that Hammonds, in a fit of rage during a dispute with his girlfriend, killed four of the dogs. A witness corroborated this claim, stating that Hammonds was responsible for the death of all 12 dogs. Hammonds is suspected of not only stealing dogs from his neighbors but also adopting some of the animals via social media platforms.
Hammonds was subsequently arrested and charged with 12 counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals. His bail has been set at $100,000. The case serves as a grim reminder of the potential dangers lurking on social media platforms where pets are often adopted without thorough background checks on potential owners.