Former Holdenville Animal Control Officer Charged With Animal Cruelty

A former Holdenville dog catcher has been charged with felony animal cruelty in Hughes County. Adam Smith, 29, will make his first court appearance July 9.

Holdenville resident Jason Grizzle went to animal control back on June 14, looking for his family's missing dog. Grizzle says he was horrified by what he found.

He says the facility was unlocked and unattended. He says there were at least 10 dead dogs and cats in various forms of decomposition, still in their cages. Grizzle took photos and showed them to News 9.

"I mean it was really, really, really nasty," said Grizzle. "This was way inhumane. It was just gross."

Investigators say the animals were all killed by either heat exhaustion or starvation.

Holdenville Police Chief Keith Wardlow supervises the town's animal control officer. He had no comment before Tuesday night's city council meeting, where council members discussed building a new animal control facility; but no action was taken.

News 9 went by Adam Smith's house Tuesday, and no one answered the door.