Monday evening, Wilson County deputies arrested Newsome on one felony and three misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals. Animal Control officers, assisted by the pug rescue group, Wilson County Humane Society and For The Love of Dogs, removed the dogs, mainly pugs but also schnauzers, miniature pinschers, dachshunds and Chihuahuas.

In a telephone interview Wednesday, Newsome called the raid "painful. ... It's been hurting me that somehow I can be accused of being abusive to my dogs.

"I wouldn't treat my kid that way. Why would I treat my dogs that way?"

Newsome has been breeding dogs since 1998 when he got a sheltie for his wife, he said.

He has never received complaints from people who adopted puppies that they were in poor health, malnourished and otherwise neglected, he added. He has never had any conflict with Animal Control officers before now.

He resents the attention he's gotten since his arrest, he said. "Everybody's saying Darryl did wrong. What did Darryl do? Well, Darryl did not do wrong.

"They've got to live with their consciences; I don't."

But the people caring for Newsome's dogs say that they definitely show signs of neglect, if not abuse.

On Saturday, Vicki Brkic, an emergency room nurse, adopted a 3-year-old pug that Newsome named "One-Eye Suzie." The dog lost her right eye, probably to a traumatic injury as a puppy, her veterinarian believes.

Suzie limps because her hip was displaced two years ago, never treated and healed improperly. She has a problem with bleeding that may result from a botched hysterectomy.

Brkic owns another pug, Nikki, that she adopted from Newsome nearly five years ago. That dog has had health problems, including a severe thyroid condition that is causing her to be 20 pounds overweight.

Nikki's problems trace back to her being born with both male and female characteristics, mostly likely because of inbreeding, Brkic said. Pugs typically live 12-15 years, but Brkic expects Nikki to live about half that.

Other dogs seized from Newsome's house were transported by Pug Rescue of North Carolina to Summerfield, near Greensboro, where Hedrick has several kennels.

The dogs were washed repeatedly Tuesday with flea and tick shampoo to get waste and dirt out of their coats, she said via telephone. "I had a house full of filthy, nasty dogs," she said.

In general, the dogs are in poor health, she said. Most have upper respiratory infections. Some are missing eyes, while others are scarred. A vet has one on oxygen, and another dog is on the verge of needing it, she said.

"They are all scared to death of human contact," she said. "Four of them have tried to bite me. Pugs just aren't like that."

Vet bills have already totaled more than $2,000, Hedrick said. "We'll spend whatever it takes to save their lives."

Once the dogs are healthier, they will be distributed to foster families to live until Newsome's charges are settled. Ultimately, a Wilson County judge could decide to return the dogs to Newsome.

But, because Newsome gave Suzie and 11 other dogs to the Humane Society before Monday's raid, Brkic is free to keep Suzie as a pet, which she intends to do. Brkic has spent more than $300 so far on Suzie and expects her bills to run up to $1,000.

The first thing the vet's office did for the former One-Eyed Suzie? Trim her name.

"I changed it to just Suzie," Brkic said. "Her old name was cruel."

ANYONE WANTING to make a donation to Suzie's veterinary bills may send it to Wilson County Humane Society, P.O. Box 7064, Wilson NC 27895. Information, including dogs available for adoption, can be found at www.pugrescuenc.org.

Matthew Shaw