By HANA KIM
6 News Reporter
STRAWBERRY PLAINS (WATE) - A Strawberry Plains man is charged with aggravated animal cruelty after authorities received a complaint.
When deputies arrived at the home of Paul Brabson, a black lab was apparently found in poor condition.
On Sunday Brabson's cousins called 6 News hoping to defend him.
Brabson wasn't home during our visit but his cousins who live nearby said Brabson is a good person.
"He would never hurt anything purposely," said cousin Herbert Moulden.
"Paul has been taken care of dogs for more than 20 years," said cousin Arthur Brown. "He's never mistreated it."
The Sevier County Sheriff's Office in a press release stated the chain on Brabson's lab was embedded in its neck and that a nearby clinic had to surgically remove the chain.
The cousins denied ever seeing the dog in that condition.
"No, never," said Moulden.
But an important detail according to Moulden is that Brabson is mentally disabled.
"He was born mentally disabled everybody who lives around here knows that," said Moulden.
Neighbor Betty Davison didn't know that, but has seen Brabson's lab many times.
"He would lay there like he was lifeless, most of it's hair was gone, real poor condition," said Davison.
"If he knows there is something wrong he will fix it but sometimes when you are challenged you don't know everything," said Moulden.
"That dog could have got tangled up in his chain at any given time, the animal was always fed, always watered," said Brown.
Brown says the lab lived outside on a leash at all times because Brabson was afraid it would get close to the road.
Davison says she wasn't the one who made the complaint to authorities but she's glad someone did.
"They shouldn't let him have it, that's how I see it," said Davison.
She sympathizes with Brabson, calling him a nice man, but still believes he's not mentally fit to care for a dog.
Brabson is scheduled for court on April 16.
