50 pit bulls seized from home; dog fighting suspected
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — Three people have been arrested after 50 dogs were rescued from a suspected dog-fighting operation in Sevier County.
After a four-month investigation by local authorities and the Humane Society of the United States, Mark Heatherly, 47, of Sevierville, was charged with two counts of dog fighting. Additional charges are pending. His wife, Kimberly Heatherly, 45, and son, Jacob R. Heatherly, are charged with conspiracy to commit dog fighting. All three are also charged with possession of marijuana and hydrocodone.
The 50 dogs that were seized range in age from 4 weeks to mid-teens. Some of them have scars that are consistent with dog fighting. The sheriff's department described them as American Pit Bulls.
Sevier County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Michael Hodges said the inside of the home "looked like basically any other home". He said investigators found one pit bull freely wandering inside, but dozens more outside of the home in poor condition.
"When you see a piece of property that has 42 adult dogs chained up using a car axle to secure the chain in the ground they're probably not raising pets," Hodges said.
"These 50 dogs are the lucky ones who no longer face life at the end of a heavy chain or worse — a bloody pit," said Chris Schindler of HSUS. "We are thankful to the Sevier County authorities for their efforts in this investigation and in forcing dog fighting out of their community."
"Dog fighting is a despicable crime that will not be tolerated in Sevier County," said Sheriff Ron Seals. "We are grateful for the assistance and expertise of the Humane Society of the United States on this case, and glad to see these dogs off to better lives."
The HSUS sent their mobile crime lab to Sevier County to help gather and document evidence in the case. The dogs were seized and taken to a temporary shelter where they will be given medical care and evaluated to see if they are eligible for future adoption.
The Sevier County Sheriff's Office said dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states. Under Tennessee law, it is a felony to fight animals and to buy, sell, or trade them for fighting. It's a misdemeanor to be a spectator of an animal fight.