There's dog drama in Johnson County.
Back in January, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office got a complaint about possible animal cruelty at a home on Main Street in Mansfield.
"We received a walk-in complaint concerning animals that were on chains," Lt. Kevin George said. "They were out in the cold weather, they didn't have adequate shelter, there was no food or water out there for them."
Officers checked it out and found nearly 20 dogs and a lot of violations. The owner was issued citations and the officers left.
Since that initial inspection, officers have gone by several times and Lt. George says the owner of the dogs seems to be complying. He's replaced the chains with state-approved tethers, Lt. George says, put food and water outside, and got doghouses to protect the animals from the weather.
"We are keeping a close eye on it," Lt. George said. "The dog owner is cooperating with the investigation. We don't have any information or intelligence to believe that he is a breeder."
Still, people in the community say they're concerned about dogfighting and they're not happy that more isn't being done. The owner of the dogs even reported getting harassed by animal rights groups.
Lt. George says investigators will continue with the inspections, but at this time they don’t have enough reason to seize the dogs.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD