Authorities have dropped criminal charges against a North Carolina woman who reportedly took in 27 dogs and cats for their owners during Hurricane Florence.
Tammie Hedges, the owner of animal rescue center Crazy’s Claws N Paws, was charged with 12 counts of practicing medicine without a veterinary license for allegedly administering antibiotics and ointments to the animals in her care. Wayne County officials also accused her of running an unlicensed shelter, according to The Charlotte Observer.
READ More: Animal rescue worker arrested after caring for abandoned animals during Hurricane Florence: Reports
WBIR reported that Hedges was working to convert a warehouse into a shelter when the storm hit and she decided to house the displaced pets. On September 17, Hedges reportedly turned over the animals to county officials so a veterinarian could check them. Some of the pets have been reunited with their owners while the rest are with being housed until they return, government officials said in a statement.
District Attorney Matthew Delbridge decided to drop the charges Monday—while still accusing Hedges of “taking advantage of a dire situation to solicit money and opioid narcotics from our generous and well-intentioned citizens.” Delbridge went on to say that dropping the charges allows him to focus on protecting citizens from violent crime.
He said, “The protection of animals and their well-being has always been an important concern, especially during times of natural disaster. A passion for and the love of animals is laudable but does not excuse unnecessarily putting their health at risk when other, safer resources are available.”
The District Attorney’s office for the 8th Judicial District has dismissed the charges against Tammy (Tammie) Hedges. On…
Posted by Wayne County Government, North Carolina on Tuesday, September 25, 2018
[Featured Image: Tammie Hedges/GoFundMe]
