A Chattooga County woman has been arrested and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals following the discovery of a severely neglected pitbull dog found living in horrific conditions inside an abandoned residence.

Eugenia Anne Brown, 69, was taken into custody on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. The arrest stemmed from a welfare check at 154 Dickeyville Road, prompted by a third-party complaint regarding an abandoned dog.

According to the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office report, deputies were dispatched to the address on September 9th along with an officer from Chattooga County Animal Control. Upon arrival, officers noted that the front door of the residence was not connected to its hinges and was slightly ajar. As Deputy Ellenburg opened the door, the air inside was immediately deemed “dangerous to breathe in,” necessitating HAZMAT masks for entry.

Inside, officers discovered a brown pitbull confined within a kennel in a bedroom directly off the front door. The dog was reportedly standing on all four legs and appeared unable to lie down. Conditions within the kennel were dire, with no access to food and water described as a “yellow color” and “stagnant.” The blanket inside the kennel was heavily soiled with feces and urine, indicating the dog had not been removed for a significant period.

The residence itself was in an extreme state of disrepair, with no ventilation and mold present in every room, further contributing to the hazardous air quality.

While authorities were discussing a plan to extricate the dog, the supposed owner, Eugenia Brown, drove past the residence. A deputy and Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader conducted a traffic stop and advised Brown to return to the property.

Upon her return, Sheriff Schrader questioned Brown about the dog. Brown admitted knowledge of the animal, stating she had been feeding it for approximately six months. She further explained that she had taken the dog from a friend who became hospitalized and subsequently placed the dog inside the abandoned house in the kennel. Brown claimed she occasionally provided food and water and took the dog outside.

However, Chattooga County Animal Control Director Emily Wright concurred that based on the evidence, “it appeared the dog has not been removed from the kennel for a substantial amount of time.”

The pitbull was safely removed from the residence and is now under the care of animal control. Based on the severe living circumstances and neglect, Eugenia Anne Brown was formally charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.