A warrant has been issued for a Park Hill man charged with 10 felony counts of animal cruelty after authorities found several pit bulldogs with scars and injuries inside a building on Muskogee Avenue.
Charges were filed in Cherokee County District Court against Dale Avery Allison, 42, on Aug. 7, 2023.
According to court documents, on Oct. 19, 2022, five female pit bulldogs and five male pit bulldogs were either deprived of necessary food, drink, and shelter, or were found to have been “cruelly injured, maimed, or mutilated,” or both.
The probable cause affidavit indicates Tahlequah Police Department officers responded to the building on Muskogee Avenue to assist the city of Tahlequah Animal Control officer after she had received several complaints about an odor coming from the building, as well as excessive barking of dogs inside the building.
The officer reported that while outside of the building, he could hear several dogs inside barking, and he could smell feces coming from the building.
When authorities and the Animal Control officer entered the building, they saw multiple cages on the southeast wall and all along the east wall. Most of the cages reportedly contained pit bulldogs, one cage contained a cat, and two cages contained Pomeranian-bred dogs.
According to reports, none of the animals had water, and only one of the dogs had food. One of the dogs also had an open wound on the right side of its face, which appeared to be infected and swollen.
Three of the dogs were reported to have multiple scars on their faces, front legs, and chest, and most of the dogs had their ears clipped or their ears were missing. The Pomeranian dogs were reportedly dirty and had matted hair.
Authorities also found medication bottles inside the building.
While police were investigating the scene, Allison arrived and told police he was a dog breeder and owned a business called Happy Valley Bullies. He reportedly told authorities the dogs were rescued, and he had registration paperwork for them but did not have the papers with him.
When authorities asked Allison how the dog’s face became injured, he told police that approximately a month earlier, when he let the dogs out to relieve themselves, another dog bit the animal. Allison claimed to have taken the dog to a veterinarian for treatment.
A local veterinarian was called to examine the animals, a process that reportedly had to be done through the cages because the dogs were acting aggressively. The veterinarian told police the dog with the wound needed immediate medical care.
According to reports, due to the inadequate living conditions and lack of medical care, Animal Control seized all of the animals, issued Allison 10 citations for animal neglect, and told him he needed to provide vaccination records for the dogs, as well as provide medical treatment documentation for the injured dog.
A court date for the defendant’s initial appearance has not been scheduled yet.