Hart County Woman Charged with 26 Counts of Animal Cruelty

A Hart County woman has been charged with 26 counts of cruelty to animals after authorities discovered dogs living in filthy conditions in a metal building with no air conditioning.

The Hart County Sheriff’s Office, Hart County Animal Control, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture have been investigating a location on Knox Bridge Road where numerous dogs were being housed since last Thursday.

The location was licensed through the Georgia Department of Agriculture, but that license has been recently revoked.

Cleveland said the Sheriff’s Office and Animal Control were at the location on Thursday and assisted in the removal of a large number of the dogs with the help of a local veterinarian’s office and other individuals.

“On Friday morning, the Sheriff’s Office and Animal Control were back out at the property with the Georgia Department of Agriculture assisting in the removal of the last few dogs,” he said.

Investigators with the Hart County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged 67-year-old Deborah Delores Singletary, on 26 counts of cruelty to animals and she was booked into the Hart County Jail.

Hart County Sheriff Chief Investigator Chris Carroll said while the dogs appeared to be well-fed, Singletary’s arrest was based on the fact that there was no air conditioning in the metal building and the poor conditions inside.

Carroll said the temperature inside the building was 106 and the floor was covered in feces and urine.

Singletary was operating under the name Southeast Welfare Animal Service and was located at 1158 Knox Bridge Crossing Road in Hart County.

She advertised as a rescue for elderly dogs and Carroll said most of the dogs were elderly and several needed immediate medical attention, which is being provided by local veterinarians.

Singletary lived at the property in the front of the building and had air conditioning in that part of the building but not in the back where the other dogs were kept, according to Carroll.

He said all of the dogs have been sent to other rescue groups and to veterinarians for care.

All dogs have been removed from the property excluding 3 personal animals belonging to Singletary.

Carroll said the disposition of Singletary’s dogs was still being discussed as of Friday.