LENOIR COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – Arrest warrants are giving new details on an animal cruelty case in Lenoir County.
Early this morning, deputies arrested Matthew Neal on felony animal abuse charges after a disturbing video appeared on social media.
The Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office says Neal was jailed, and 11 dogs are in protective custody. A viral video that shows a man beating a dog near a mobile kennel sparked an investigation. Deputies say Neal owns a Lenoir County dog training business, East Carolina Retriever.
Neal, 32, is facing nine counts of felony cruelty to animals. The sheriff’s office says he is also facing two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals in Duplin County.
Arrest warrants, obtained by WITN News this morning, provide graphic details of the animal abuse allegations.
- Used a shock collar on “Maggie” a yellow lab type dog “until her eyes were bloodshot”
- “Punch with his hands” and held down the shock collar remote “for an unreasonable amount of time” on “Tucker” a lab type dog
- Hit a puppy with a PVC “heeling stick” 52 times
- Choked a yellow lab type dog
- Shocked a black lab type dog “until she vomited”
- Beat “Tucker” a black lab type dog
- Beat “BoBo” a black lab type dog
- Drag and beat a Shorthair Pointer named “Bullet”
- Shocked a black lab type dog “for an unreasonable amount of time”
The sheriff’s office says Neal was arrested at his home and business at 2967 Ash Davis Road, just outside Pink Hill.
Just last night, Lenoir County Sheriff Jackie Rogers says his deputies and the Lenoir County Animal Control have conducted interviews but were asking anyone with firsthand knowledge to come forward. This would include videos, photos, or eyewitness accounts.
Deputies say they were helped this morning by the Lenoir County Animal Control unit, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office’s Animal Control unit, and Duplin County Animal Control.
“We are truly appreciative of the assistance we received from the other agencies,” Sheriff Rogers said. “We would also like to thank the citizens and the incredible residents who have come forward and made statements to make today’s arrest possible.”
Anyone with firsthand information should call deputies at 252-559-6118.
Neal was given a $45,000 secured bond in Lenoir County and a $2,000 secured bond in Duplin County.
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