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District Attorney: 'Failed Business Model' Leads to Animal Cruelty Charges

100 views · Published 13 June 2014 · 2:26 · Indexed 25 September 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2014 · News & Politics

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District Attorney Steve Bebb says it was a failed business model that led to a Bradley County woman housing more than 237 dogs. She has been charged with animal cruelty.

56-year-old Rebecca Van Meter was taken into custody late Thursday evening. Bradley County deputies charged the McDonald woman after discovering hundreds of dogs on her property. The District Attorney Steve Bebb tells us that VanMeter was charged because there "was the number of animals in little cages and they got no exercise of anything. Plus, there was a lack of ventilation in the building," says Bebb. 

As the dogs multiplied, Bebb says that demand didn't- leaving 200 helpless hounds caught in the balance. "All I know is that they said that she started doing that and for a number of them she wasn't selling them. She just got overwhelmed. According to what I was told, she was not very successful in selling them. I just can't imagine a big market for beagles."

VanMeter's punishment so far is one count of animal cruelty- a Class A misdemeanor with only a 500 dollar bond. The DA tells us that they didn't charge her with more counts because it would be difficult to prove that she abused or neglected each dog.

The Sheriff's Department tells us that these charges may only be the beginning. "At this point and time the investigation is ongoing so we don't know if there will be additional charges or not. We can't say at this junction," says Bradley county sheriff spokesperson Bob Gault.

Meantime the DA says he's already looking at other ways to make sure that nothing like this happens again. "I have not discussed it with the county, but I think we need to do something to keep her out of that business," adds Bebb.

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