LUCAMA — Wilson County deputies and animal control officers seized nearly 40 dogs, including several pregnant females, Monday evening from a puppy-breeding operation.

Darryl Newsome, of 814 Little Rock Church Road, was charged with animal cruelty after the dogs were removed from a house strewn with feces, waste and trash.

Newsome had apparently not sought veterinarian treatment for dog injuries that had persisted for years, said Animal Control Director Carl Utley. Some of the dogs have hip and eye problems.

Animal advocates, assisting the county staff in relocating the dogs, noted that many had burns on their paws from standing in urine for lengthy times.

"I hope we are letting the community know that abusing animals will not be tolerated in Wilson County," Utley said this morning.

Newsome was arrested with two counts of cruelty to animals and two counts of causing injury to an animal. He was scheduled for a first court appearance today. Newsome breeds and sells pugs and other dogs. Of the 40 dogs seized from the house, about a dozen were puppies.

Pug Rescue of North Carolina and the Wilson County Humane Society have arranged for the animals to be housed and cared for until the charges are resolved in court.

Most of the seized dogs are pugs, but there were also schnauzers, miniature pinschers, dachshunds and chihuahuas.

The puppy mill came to the attention of Wilson County animal advocates after contractors working on Newsome's home complained of the strong smell of dog waste.

Animal control officers visited the home Thursday, but they didn't have a warrrant and Newsome would not let them inside the property, Utley said.

Wilson County Humane Society members visited Newsome Friday and he surrendered 12 dogs — four pugs and eight shelties — that he said he didn't want any longer, said Vicki Brkic, one of the people caring for the dogs.

One of the pugs had a displaced hip injury that was at least two years old, Brkic said. Others had eye injuries that are blinding them.

"Those are high-dollar, AKC registered dogs, and he is using them just to make money," she said.

Once the county was informed of the injuries, it obtained a warrant to go into the home, Utley said.

Max Fitz-Gerald, owner of For the Love of Dogs, assisted animal control officers in removing the dogs from the house. The conditions were "filthy ... the dogs were running free," he said. "It looked like a hurricane had hit it."

Pugs are generally a "happy-go-lucky dog," said Frances Clarke, of Winterville, a dog rescuer with several decades experience with the breed. But these dogs were snapping at the handlers.

One of Newsome's neighbors believes that he has been falsely accused.

"Ain't nobody taking better care of his dogs than he does," said Paul Long. "If anyone had a reason to complain, it'd be me."

Long has lived next door to Newsome for more than 20 years and had always been impressed by the caring attitude he's shown his dogs, he said. Newsome built an addition to his house for the dogs' benefit.

"They're not outside in cold or bad weather, they don't make a lot of noise," Long said. "They don't bother me."

But Christina Hedrick, of Greensboro, president of Pug Rescue of North Carolina, pointed out the dogs' feet were discolored and burned, probably because they have stood in urine, she said.

The dogs were showing signs of not being socialized with people, she added.

Most of the dogs were carried back to Hedrick's home where she has several air conditioned/heated kennels, she said. They will be treated for injuries and infections.

After they get a clean bill of health, the dogs will be placed with foster families where they'll remain until the court proceedings conclude, she said. That has taken as long as two years after similar puppy mills were busted.

The animal advocates advise people who want to buy a thoroughbred dog to ask a lot of questions about the dogs' health; to see the breeding facility, if possible; and to ask for a health guarantee of at least a year.

For more information on the pug rescue group, including dogs available for adoption, go to www.pugrescuenc.org.

mshaw@wilsondaily.com | 265-7878