Officials Raid Kennel; Animal Caretaker Taken Away In Handcuffs

About an hour after she interviewed with NEWS9 about allegations of abuse involving some of her animals, the caretaker of a kennel was handcuffed.

Belmont County officials raided the Four Paws Animal Rescue in Neffs on Thursday and put Carmen Wallace in handcuffs.

Before that, Wallace told NEWS9 that three of her dogs had been poisoned and another was hanged.

Wallace said her 14-year-old son found a dead dog hanging from a tree in her backyard a few days ago, and soon after they noticed other dogs with symptoms of poisoning. She said she's unsure how the alleged incidents happened.

"It was very horrific," Wallace told NEWS9.

The Belmont County dog warden had been noticing issues as well, and about an hour after Wallace interviewed with NEWS9, officials showed up with a search warrant for the facility.

Soon after, Wallace was put in handcuffs by officials with the Belmont County Sheriff's Office on suspicion of animal hoarding -- something she's been accused of before. Officials removed animals including a horse, cats and dogs.

Wallace previously told NEWS9 that animal shelter workers had accused her of being an animal hoarder, but she disagreed.

"I'm trying to do what's good for these animals," Wallace said. "I'm not an animal hoarder."

When she was being put in cuffs, officials said "she went crazy" and a paramedic unit had to be called to take her away.

Officials said this is not the first time they've raided the Four Paws Animal Facility. At one time, an estimated 38 animals were on the property.

It was not immediately known how many animals were removed Thursday, but officials said there may have been two houses involved in the case and that Wallace is likely facing obstruction charges.

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