Two Charged with Cruelty After Dog Found Dead
By EVAN MAYOR
www.Tennessean.com
July 9, 2004, MURFREESBORO, TN — Residents of a Murfreesboro neighborhood said they can
breathe a little easier now that the odor is gone.
''People couldn't even sit on their deck, it smelled so bad,'' said Vickie Pendergrast,
a resident of Whitehaven Drive.
The rotten smell was coming from the home of William Lester Raney, 24, and Misty Dawn
Lancaster, 23.
The two were arrested Saturday and charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to
animals when county sheriff's officials found a decomposing dog and a malnourished dog
at their home, 3854 Whitehaven Drive.
On a tip from a BellSouth employee working in the area, Deputy Jonathan Stephens of the
Rutherford County Sheriff's Department arrived at the residence Saturday and reported a
''strong odor indicating a dead animal,'' according to the police report.
Stephens found a decomposing body of a dog, a blue heeler named Baby with ''the leash
still around its neck and a chain which was still spiked into the ground,'' the report
said. Another blue heeler named Afina was found to be alive, but with a sunken stomach
and very emaciated appearance.
Lancaster told investigators that Afina and Baby were her boyfriend's dogs and that
''he has been telling her every day that he was feeding the dogs,'' according to the
report. A healthy boxer named Marley was found inside the residence.
Attempts to contact Lancaster or Raney yesterday were unsuccessful.
Neighbors said they were relieved to see something had finally been done about the
problem.
''The animals were chained up for a long period of time with no food and no water,''
said Pendergrast, who lives a couple of houses down from Lancaster and Raney. ''I
wanted to go feed the animals but was advised to stay out of it.''
Pendergrast said area residents were afraid to approach the couple.
''It made me feel so bad because I saw the poor things going through this,'' she said.
''I saw Baby trying to get up one time. Didn't even get an inch and fell to the ground.
It was pitiful.''
Neighbors said a couple of calls were made to animal control, but they were ignored.
However, Rutherford County Animal Services officials said their records show only the
complaint made Saturday.
''It's looking like we impounded two dogs,'' said Tracy Hill, director of Rutherford
County Animal Services.
''One was in good health, a boxer, and a second dog that was in pretty bad shape was
transported to Murfreesboro animal clinic where we are holding that one pending the
outcome of the case.''
Despite what happens now, neighbors said they feel the couple should not be allowed to
have pets.
''We're animal lovers,'' said Jennifer Wisdom. ''When you chain an animal up, that's
neglect in itself. They do not deserve (their animals) back.''
Lester and Lancaster are free on $4,000 bond each and are to appear in General Sessions
Court on Aug. 12.
