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8:49 a.m. • 5-20-13

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Posted: August 17, 2012

Puppy mill owners found guilty of animal cruelty

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Raleigh, N.C. — A Wilmington couple arrested this month on animal cruelty charges pleaded guilty Friday to dozens of charges, the Brunswick County District Attorney's Office.

Amelia and Andrew Millis pleaded guilty to 24 counts each of Class I cruelty to animal charges and were placed on probation for 36 months.

In addition, they are banned for life from possessing any animal. Both will be subject to frequent warrantless searches for compliance, the district attorney's office said.

On Aug. 3, Brunswick County sheriff's deputies and animal rights advocates rescued more than 150 dogs, more than two dozen birds and one cat from a double-wide trailer with no electricity in Leland.

Most of the remaining dogs were sent to SPCAs in Guilford and Mecklenburg counties, but the SPCA of Wake County is expected to put 39 of the dogs taken from the puppy mill up for adoption.

Anyone interested in adopting an animal should contact the group directly.

Web Editor: Caitlin Zanga

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8 Comments

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"Were they being cruel? I saw the original story. The SPCA lady talked about how there would be "emotional damage" that would take time to heal. Yet, the puppies were running around playing, wagging their tails, etc. What a contradiction." - paulej

I just watched the video with the original article. What planet are you from? Running, playing, wagging? Do you understand dog body language? Did you see the cages? Did you see the state of the inside of the building? Did you listen to the reporter talk about the stench of ammonia etc?

I suspect you think non-human animals can be treated like dirt. And just because there are other atrocious things going on in this world doesn't mean you should ignore one over another.

JohnnyMcRonny
August 17, 2012 7:50 p.m.

I say make them take two spayed or neutered animal from the pound and watch them carefully for a while. Take the profit out of it and let them see the real value of pets.

miseem
August 17, 2012 7:03 p.m.

Hey WRAL.....you forgot to mention the 30K fine, not a lot but definitely not a few thousand

Scubagirl
August 17, 2012 6:04 p.m.

"Greed is part of the problem here" --Scubagirl

Is it? Perhaps those people were poor and this was their way of getting by in this world.

"3 years probation for crulty to animals" --sunshine1040

Were they being cruel? I saw the original story. The SPCA lady talked about how there would be "emotional damage" that would take time to heal. Yet, the puppies were running around playing, wagging their tails, etc. What a contradiction.

If these people were beating the dogs, torturing them, etc., call it cruelty if you wish. This is just neglect and perhaps because they didn't have money to provide better.

There are children in this country to who are similarly neglected. Perhaps it's not as apparent, but there are reasons why we see kids growing up shooting people, doing drugs, etc.