City man charged with neglect of dog, puppies
By Gary Popp
Published in News on January 16, 2012 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MICHAEL BETTS
Grendel and her puppies are recovering with a foster family after being rescued from a Goldsboro man's property. Roger Wade Houston has been charged with animal abuse.
A mother dog and four puppies seized by Goldsboro police from an abusive downtown home late last month are now safe in a Philadelphia home.
Roger Wade Houston, 50, faces charges of animal abuse in connection with his alleged treatment of an Akita and her four puppies.
Houston, of 903 Hopkins St., was charged by Goldsboro police with cruelty to animals and restraining dogs in a cruel manner. He was given a $1,000 bond.
The dogs were removed from a property at 602 Newsome St. on Dec. 27 and taken to Wayne County Animal Control Services.
Police described the living conditions where the dogs were found as a fenced enclosure full of dog feces with no food or water on site.
Houston is also accused of allowing the mother dog's chain choker collar to become embedded in her neck without seeking the care of a veterinarian.
The police report continued that Houston allowed the mother dog to become extremely emaciated as she cared for and nursed the litter of puppies.
Vicki Falconer, Animal Control director, said the neck wound was so severe that skin had begun to grow over the chain collar.
She said the dog was treated by a veterinarian who cut the collar out of the dog's neck then placed her on antibiotics and other medications and returned her to the animal shelter.
When the puppies were reunited with their mother, rescue coordinators with animal control services contacted New Jersey-based group Big East Akita Rescue.
Members of the Akita rescue group contacted Carla Boyd of Philadelphia to meet rescue coordinators in Richmond, Va., who delivered the dogs from Goldsboro.
The mother, who was named Grendel by Ms. Boyd, was diagnosed as heartworm positive, Ms. Boyd said, for which she is being treated.
Ms. Boyd said all the dogs were heavily infested with internal parasites, and that they suffer from upper respiratory complications, but shots have been given, and the dogs are on their way to good health.
The puppies will remain in Ms. Boyd's care until they are placed into permanent homes.