KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Four people charged in the case of nearly 40 animals that were removed from a Knoxville home have been arrested according to court documents.
Haylee Morris, 23, of Knoxville, was arrested on Thursday according to an arrest warrant from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. As of Friday, the Knox County Court system says she is not in jail.
Michelle Burgess-Morris, 50, was served an arrest warrant on March 15. Thomas Morris, 52, and Isabella Morris, 19, were served warrants on April 22.
Over a month ago, they four were charged in the case. They were each charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, two counts of cruelty to animals and once count of violation of rabies laws according to general sessions dockets.

According to the affidavit from the arrest warrant, the charges stem from an incident on March 5, when police found at least 35 live animals and four deceased animals at a home on Leclay Drive. Some of the listed in the affidavit include:
- 10 cats kept in cages under the home with no food or water
- 18 dogs being forced to live in feces and urine covered floors and walls
- A puppy locked in a closet
- Two guinea pigs in an aquarium without food and water
Initial reports said there were 38 animals removed from the home and five were found dead, however, the arrest warrant lists one more dog than the initial reports. The affidavit also does not clearly state if cats that are listed in one section of the report are not the same cats previously mentioned.
Earlier reports also listed a bearded dragon, a gecko, a turtle, and a parakeet that were not listed in the affidavit.
According to police reports, they were running a pet sitting business. At least one KCSO report states that multiple pet owners said their animals died or deteriorated while in her care. Several pet owners also shared their stories with WATE after the animals were removed from the home.
All four are scheduled to be arraigned on May 2. Online records show another court date scheduled for May 17. Three other residents of the property were listed as co-defendants listed on the arrest warrant: Michelle L. Burgess Morris, Isabella M. Morris, and Thomas J. Morris. None of the three are listed as in the Knox County Jail according to the court records system as of April 21.
Young-Williams Animal Center said it had previously ended its fostering relationship with an individual and banned them from fostering or adopting any animals through the center in a statement after the animals were sized from the home. A report from KCSO says that Haylee Morris had adopted 15 animals, including eight rabbits, from Young-Williams, and she told investigators that all but one of those animals died.
Additionally, an officer wrote in an incident report that Haylee Morris had fostered for at least two other rescues, a rabbit rescue and a Guinea pig rescue. The report states that the rabbit rescue said it had removed its animals from Haylee Morris’ care a few weeks before animals were sized from the home. The Guinea Pig rescue reported that multiple healthy Guinea pigs adopted or placed with Haylee Morris fosters subsequently died or were recovered in poor health.