Two arrested in Rusk for animal cruelty

RUSK – Our news partner, KETK, reports that two people were arrested after SPCA of East Texas discovered several dogs emaciated or dead at a property in Rusk.

According to SPCA of East Texas, in March they received a report of numerous dogs abandoned, left without food or water for more than 10 days with many of them chewing through the front door to escape to the yard.

Officials said the SPCA team arrived to find four small emaciated dogs begging for treats, a malnourished pit bull tied to an abandoned truck with no food or water, and three more small dogs trapped inside the home. On the other side of the yard, the SPCA team found a pen tucked into weeds where several dogs were found dead.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was called out to the property and located the two homeowners, Chassie Marie Tidwel Hightower and Sean Karbowski. They were both arrested for cruelty to non-livestock animals, and booked into the Cherokee County Jail on March 30. SPCA said that Hightower and Karbowski claimed they were looking to rehome them, but couldn’t find help.

The nonprofit said that the dogs have been seen by their vet, and given proper care with all of them gaining significant weight. The dogs are not ready for adoption, but will be needing foster homes to help them acclimate to living with a proper family, SPCA said.

“SPCA East Texas has several programs that help our community to better the lives of our pets,” the nonprofit said. “Rehoming & adoptions, low-cost vaccine clinic, and a community food pantry, no excuses.”