The founder of Georgia Poodle Rescue faces 56 charges of felony animal cruelty after a search of her Milton, Georgia property uncovered abuse. Fulton County Animal Services (FCAS) confiscated more than 60 neglected animals — most Poodle mixes — from Deborah Blatchley’s residence.
Founder Charged with Animal Cruelty
Fulton County Police and its SWAT team helped FCAS serve a search warrant for Blatchley’s home. Officials confiscated two horses, two cats, five chickens, and 56 dogs during the search. The animals were all said to have serious medical issues due to neglect. Blatchley also faces warrants for fleeing and eluding officers.
A neighbor told reporters about a time when five dogs escaped from the residence, recalling that the animals “were in terrible shape. They smelled like feces and urine.” The neighbor, who asked to remain unidentified, also described the horses as “skinny and emaciated.”
Another neighbor told reporters that the owner of the property had been taking in dogs for years.
“They were thin, some of them were matted,” Cindy Berglund described.“I guess she must have done something because people would come in there and adopt dogs.”
According to Blatchley’s LinkedIn, she is president of several animal-centric LLCs, including Georgia Poodle Rescue. She also claims that she worked under a prestigious veterinarian at Emory University. Thankfully, the website that she used to conduct operations is now suspended. However, the company’s Facebook remains available for public viewing.
The Facebook chronicles Blatchley’s attempts to procure fosters and adopters for her many Poodles and Poodle mixes. Eerily, no signs of mistreatment or abuse are evident on the page. This serves as a reminder to dog adopters to only adopt from reputable agencies.
An Investigation Continues, Animal Services Intervene
Staff from Fulton County Animal Services brought the rescued animals to Fulton and Gwinnett county shelters. Because of the nature of the investigation, the animals will not be available for fostering or adoption until Feb. 15.
Tiki Artist, spokesperson for FCAS, addressed plans for the neglected animals’ recoveries.
“Whenever we get animals like this, they’re always going to need veterinarian care, and they’re going to need to be checked out and they could be with us for some time,” Artist said.
While the investigation continues, Fulton County Animal Services encourages assistance with resources for the animals, including food, medicine, and donations. Those who are able to help can visit the Fulton County Animal Services website.
