On January 23, 2024, Deputies with the Lafayette County Sheriff Office were dispatched to a residence on County Road 173 for a welfare check on several dogs at the residence.
When the deputies arrived, they found eight dogs on scene that had been left outside in the sub-freezing weather for approximately a week with inadequate shelter, food, and water.
One of dogs was deceased when the deputies arrived and another died while they were on scene.
The dogs were allegedly owned by Joey and Ashley Wells. Both of the individuals were charged with one count each of Dog or Cat, Aggravated Cruelty.
On January 26, 2024, Ashley and Joey were both apprehended on the warrants. They were both booked in at the Lafayette County Detention Center and a Lafayette County Justice Court Judge issued a $20,000 bond for each of them.