According to court documents, David Shelton and Timothy Jennings encouraged a pack of coon dogs to kill the animal. The accused say the state has bad information.
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TRANSCRIPT:
JOSH SMITH, anchor:
Legal trouble tonight for two Tri-Cities region men. They're accused of animal cruelty. But the animal in question isn't a pet or livestock -- it's a raccoon.
Wildlife officials accuse the men of trapping the animal, then encouraging a pack of dogs to kill it. But the accused tell 11 Connects' George Jackson the state has some bad information.
(Report)
On October 31st, David Shelton trapped a raccoon on his property in Greene County. He says it was eating his horse feed.
SHELTON: "Because it destroyed about $300 to $400 worth of feed."
Shelton says he carried the caged animal down the street. He hunts with Timothy Jennings' son and the son's four coon dogs.
JENNINGS: "They're his dogs. Ain't even my dogs."
The men say they placed the raccoon near two dogs to train them.
JENNINGS: "They just barked at it, pulled on the cage, back and forth and stuff. Well, that's what a coon dog's supposed to do."
According to court documents, Shelton and Jennings released the raccoon and encouraged the dogs to rip it to shreds. They say that didn't happen -- that Shelton safely released the animal up the road.
JENNINGS: "They're trying to say that we let it go on the dogs, but we didn't. We had it in the cage the whole time and the cage is designed so that a dog can't get to it."
The state charged both men with illegal possession of wildlife and cruelty to animals.
JENNINGS: "I thought it was a varmint or a rodent -- a pest."
GEORGE JACKSON, reporter:
Court documents say a neighbor complained to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The TWRA opened an investigation and the District Attorney's office filed charges.
Assistant D.A. Chal Thompson did not return calls for comment.
Raccoons are Tennessee's official state mammal, but that doesn't mean they're protected. Raccoon hunting season started September 16th, trapping season starts next week, and coon dog training in Greene County is permitted year-round. Josh.
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