CANYON, TEXAS -- Animal cruelty is an issue that can get all of us angry and fed up.
This week, a case of alleged abuse at a well-known kennel was moved to the courts in Randall County.
In September, more than 200 dogs, german shepherds, collies, and golden retrievers, were seized from the AlphaTex Kennels in Lockney.
The owners, Mark and Sandra Smith, are now facing animal cruelty charges. Reaction to the case ranges from outrage to support.
One Amarillo resident, who just five years ago bought her dog from their kennel, says she's shocked.
"They brought us into their house and they just love their animals they have dogs on couches and dogs just everywhere they were very passionate about their animals you could tell that right away. I didn't see anything suspicious when we went through and they showed us everything," said Jody Reynolds, Bought her dog from AlphaTex Kennel.
But many customers say the signs of neglect may have been there. The owners would conveniently meet them in another location to drop off dogs.
Some say they may not have wanted people to see the conditions the dogs were living in.
"It was a nice convince for them to do that for us. But I don't remember any resistance when asked to come visit," said Reynolds.
The seized dogs went to the Humane Society of West Texas. Many are now in foster care. One foster parent says the dogs she saw were in poor condition, from heart worms, to starvation to other obvious signs of abuse and neglect.
"When I first got her she was really aggressive real real thin, I just think maybe I was one of the lucky ones I think she's a little healthier than a lot of the dogs that were taken," said Lottie Weems, Fostering a dog from AlphaTex Kennel.
The case will continue throughout the week in the 181st District Court. In the meantime, the owners have countersued the Floyd County Sheriff's Office. They say their dogs were wrongfully seized.
