96 Dogs Found Starving in Oklahoma

The Kay County Oklahoma Sheriff's Department arrested a man Tuesday suspected of neglecting 96 pit bulls.

Undersheriff Steve Kelley said that 32-year-old Jerry Southern is in the Kay County jail after officials found 96 pit bulls in poor health on farm property rented by Southern located south of Newkirk.

"We received an anonymous call Monday night," Kelley said. "At first we couldn't locate the dogs. The reporting party called back and we were then able to locate the dogs on a farm in the 7000 block of west Dry Road."

"Most of the dogs were chained with log chains two to three feet long and 10 dogs were found locked in a barn with no food and water. You could tell they had been there for a long time. They had dug holes with their chains just by walking around."

Officials contacted Kay Electric and determined the property was leased by Southern who resides in Wichita, Kan.

"He came down here and told us that he shows and sells the dogs but no one was buying them," said Kelley.

Southern claims the dogs have been eating two or three bags of food a day among them. "That breaks down to a handful per dog," said Kelley.

Kelley said Southern has a lengthy criminal record in Kansas that includes animal cruelty and that Kansas courts had ordered Southern never to be in possession of pit bulls again.

Ponca City veterinarian Seletha Sanders has agreed to evaluate the dogs.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, Kelley said she had evaluated about half of the dogs and on a scale of 1-5, most were not even a one.

Kelley believes the dogs will remain on the property and that county inmates will be taken to the site to feed the dogs.

"We are looking for organizations to help rescue the dogs and food donations," Kelley said.

"The Ponca City Humane Society has donated food and is asking local retailers to donate."

Anyone interested in donating food for the dogs are asked to contact the Kay County Sheriff's Department at 580-362-2517.