LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. — The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office has charged Teresa Counce with 23 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty after nearly 30 dogs were seized from her home on July 1.
Sheriff Joe Hamilton reported that 29 dogs were confiscated from a property on County Road 6, including one dog with a newborn litter and several others pregnant. Counce owns the residence where the animals were found.
This is not the first incident involving Counce; earlier this year, she faced charges after 82 dogs were taken from her home in late January. Those charges were dropped after she agreed to surrender ownership of the dogs to the local animal shelter and consented to warrantless searches of her property.
Animal control received new complaints about Counce housing a large number of dogs again, prompting the recent seizure and charges.
Teresa Counce is scheduled to appear in court on August 14.
