On Tuesday, Jan. 9, Marlin, Texas resident Jeffrey Rich went out to search for his lost dog. He decided to go to the Marlin Animal Control Center which doubles as the city's animal shelter.
When Rich arrived at the center, he noticed that no one was there. So he decided to check out the back of the building, where he could hear dogs barking. When he walked around, he saw the entire back section of the shelter covered by a beige tarp.
Desperate to find his dog, Rich lifted the tarp. What he saw was shocking.
Rich discovered nine dogs, starved, dehydrated and covered in their own feces and urine. Food and water bowls were dusted over. One dog he finds is dead.
Rich was horrified by the scene and recorded a video as evidence. He posted the video on Facebook and it wasn’t long before word spread throughout Marlin, a community made up of less than 6,000 people.
FRANCES FISCHER: “I have been in rescue for many years and I have never seen a rescue run by the city in such bad conditions. They were really horrific.”
Frances Fischer is the co-founder of Journey Home Rescue, a foster based dog rescue organization serving the central Texas area.
Frances was notified of the situation at the Marlin shelter the day after Rich posted the evidence online. She, along with four other animal advocacy groups, arrived at the shelter on Wednesday, Jan. 10 to take the dogs into foster care.
FRANCES FISCHER: “Dogs on Tuesday were still standing in their feces, on Wednesday still standing in their feces. Their feet were stained with feces and urine. They were all so malnutritioned, Eugene actually collapsed as we were walking him out of his kennel.”
Eugene is one of the 9 dogs that was found alive. The cause of death for the dog that died, which advocates have named Justice, has not yet been revealed.
FRANCES FISCHER: “They did not get a necropsy on it and they did not have a vet examine it. And we don’t know where they disposed of the body.”
The Marlin Police Chief, James Hommel, is responsible for overseeing the animal shelter and supervised the only full-time Animal Control Officer at the time, Nicole Grams.
Falls County Sheriff, Joe Lopez, announced that an investigation would ensue following the discovery. It has been 7 weeks since that announcement and no arrests have been made.
Members of the “Justice for Marlin Dogs,” advocacy group are calling for the arrest of Chief Hommel and Nicole Grams. Dori Plamondon, a volunteer with Journey Home Rescue and a key organizer for the “Justice for Marlin Dogs” group, says they will protest weekly until those responsible for neglecting the dogs are arrested.
DORI PLAMONDON: “I think they have underestimated the ability of people who rescue dogs, and that we are not going to go away. We will not be stopped until something is done.”
Despite attending city council meetings, protesting and reaching out to public officials, no updates on the investigation have been given to the community. Advocates are urging Sheriff Lopez to call in the Texas Rangers.
FRANCES FISCHER: “Early in the supposed investigation I met with Sheriff Lopez. He told me to my face that he was four deputies short. He had a file full of female applications, no male applicants, and he wanted a male to handle the inmates. So we were just not able to continue with the investigation at this time. I asked him, are you going to call the Texas Rangers in? He said they wouldn't be interested in this, so not at this time.”
Sheriff Lopez, Chief Hommel and Marlin Mayor, Susan Byrd, did not respond to KWBU for comment.
The “Justice for Marlin Dogs” group spoke with Gov. Abbott during his visit to Belton last week to ask him to send in the Texas Rangers.
FRANCES FISCHER: “He said that would be one of his priorities, to look at that.”
The “Justice for Marlin Dogs” group is encouraging the public to sign two petitions, one calling for the Texas Rangers to investigate and the other calling for the Falls County District Attorney’s office to press charges. Links to the petitions are online at justiceformarlindogs.com/petition.
KWBU will continue following this story. Stay up to date at kwbu.org.
For 103.3 Waco Public Radio, I’m Autumn Jones.