Wythe County Investigates Controversial Dog Shed Amid Complaints - FOX 21/27 WFXR Roanoke/WWCW Lynchburg News, Weather

Wythe County Investigates Controversial Dog Shed Amid Complaints

Despite the Nov. 29, 2011, date shown on a picture, Jenna Coleman, Wythe County spokeswoman, says they were taken Monday along Walton Furnace Road. We are told the date has not been correctly set on the camera.

The pictures show no fleas, plenty of medication, and what the county claims are relatively healthy dogs inside what some have called the "dungeon" at the home of Mike Thomas.

Coleman says the pictures are the focus of an ongoing independent investigation by Animal Control and the Commonwealth's Attorney.

"We've had a lot of interest in the case and we wanted to reassure people of what the conditions were now, because a lot of the information that was out was from two years ago," Coleman said. "A lot has changed in two years."

One of the questions that the Humane Society of the United States had was whether the dogs have adequate lighting.

"There are makeshift windows on various sides of the cage that do give them adequate lighting and adequate ventilation," Coleman said.

But animal rights advocates here aren't buying the county's newest claims.

"They're hiding a lot of stuff," said Veronica Walden, founder of Laws For Paws. "We need to get in there."

We spoke off-camera to one of Thomas' neighbors, who says he helps him with the dogs whenever he can. He says he was there for the latest county visit on Monday and that Thomas is getting a bad rap.

It is all because, according to animal control, he has not broken any laws.

Animal rights advocates believe a third party investigation is needed. But Virginia State police tell us they will only assist another agency if they are asked.