25-year-old dog rescue group owner pleads guilty to what could be the worst animal cruelty case in Texas

TYLER COUNTY, Texas - Ashley McFadden, who operated Southeast Texas Paw Patrol in Tyler County, was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty charges in a case authorities say involved the deaths of more than 130 dogs.

Texas dog rescue group owner pleads guilty 

FOX 26 first reported on McFadden back in March. Pictures of the abuse were very graphic.

What they're saying:

"It's beyond abusive. It was torture," said dog rescuer Tina Nedd. "It took months for these animals to get in this condition, for someone to walk around and witness that at your own hands."

"Dogs tied in the woods, starved, and left to die," said Mary McElhanon, a dog transporter. "Starved puppies in totes, taken from their mother and placed in totes to die."

McFadden plead guilty to five felony charges of animal cruelty and three misdemeanor charges. She was sentenced to five years in prison and can't own a dog for five years after she's released.

Other rescue groups sent hundreds of dogs to her Tyler County property not knowing what was going on. Several rescue groups helped save the lives of about 100 dogs who were found alive on the property.

"What the transporters saw out there was a nightmare," Mary said. "It still haunts them and we all still cry."

"We know there's bad rescues out there, but there's more good than bad," said Tina. "Since that happened, and it's so in our face right here, we are real careful on who we deal with. It's put the rescue world under a lot of scrutiny and maybe that's a good thing."

What's next:

McFadden's boyfriend, Timothy Brockman, is also charged with animal cruelty and awaiting trial in jail.

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