Charges filed against suspect in Llano dog hoarding case
These dogs are just two of the 47 that were seized from an extreme animal hoarding case in Llano in late October. Llano Animal Rescue photo
James Lee Owens, 57, of Llano was arrested on 47 charges of animal cruelty on Nov. 4 for his alleged involvement in an extreme dog hoarding case in Llano.
Llano police seized 47 dogs from a residence on Oct. 23 following complaints from neighbors about the noise and smells coming from the property. A municipal judge awarded ownership of the dogs to the city following a hearing on Oct. 20 and most of the animals have already been adopted out or transferred to other shelters.
Owens was still being held at Llano County Jail as of Wednesday, Nov. 12 on 47 bonds of $1,500, totaling $70,500.
He is specifically charged with 47 different counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals at a Class A misdemeanor level. Each charge can come with up to a year in jail and up to $4,000 in fines.
According to Llano police, Owens wasn’t actually living at the residence full time. He was consistently feeding the dogs, but leaving them mostly unattended and uncared for. Many of the animals were feral, unwashed, infested with parasites, diseased, and in poor health.
Llano Animal Rescue, the group that helped Llano police treat and care for the seized dogs, is still seeking donations and volunteers following the ordeal. Contact the rescue at rescuellano@gmail.com, call 325–247-4963, or visit its website to learn more about how to adopt or give.