I shook my head in disgust reading this story.

A man was charged with cruelty and neglect to his eleven beagles, based on facts that they had fleas, distentended bellies due to hook worm, and patches of hair missing. It was an anonymous caller that initially alerted the authorities of this man.

The owner admitted that these dogs have these conditions, but content that his beagles are used regularly for hunting, and that dogs in the field are susceptible to picking up fleas, worms, and other maladies. Moreover, he had been seeking treatment for these dogs.

In the end, the State lost the case, based on the its failure to prove that the owner was abusing or neglecting these dogs. Nonetheless, the State was able to confiscate his dogs, and adopt them out to other people.

Now before you go on to think that this is a good thing for the beagles, keep in mind that this could happen to anyone. I'm all for convicting bad dog owners, and this particular owner may be bad. But the State has NO RIGHT to take our dogs unless we've been convicted of a crime.

We are innocent until proven guilty.

Before you go on thinking that you're safe just because you take good care of your dogs, think again. That neighbor who seems to keep quiet, may very well be someone who hates your dogs, and will take any opportunity to call Animal Control. Even if you are innocent, they will take your dogs, and you'll never get them back.