INDIAN MOUND, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After 37 dogs were found in ‘deplorable’ condition at Sagley’s Biker Bully Farm (SBBF) in Indian Mound, Stewart County officials gathered for a meeting Thursday with the volunteers from Clarksville to thank them for their help and discuss next steps.

Those next steps will not include criminal charges against anyone. However, the sheriff said he plans to do progress checks on conditions at the rescue, which will continue operations with a new staff.

Conditions improving at SBBF

Fourteen years ago, Lisa Sagley created the animal rescue in Indian Mound, 25 miles west of Clarksville just over the Stewart County line. On Dec. 18, she passed away suddenly.

Six days after her death, volunteers like Mikaela Lambert, owner of Mikaela’s Mutt Motel, arrived on the property to lend a hand and discovered dozens of dogs malnourished, emaciated and injured. Lambert said several had tumors, were flea-infested, and lived in fenced-in outdoor kennels full of feces with moldy water bowls. In total, Lambert rescued or found fosters for 19 of the 37 dogs at SBBF, and has more lined up to help but can’t because they have been banned from the property.

At Thursday’s meeting, Stewart County Mayor Robert Beecham thanked Lambert’s team for their help, according to a recording of the meeting shared with Clarksville Now. “I want to thank y’all for being a big part of the incident out there,” Beecham said. “It’s a tragedy, and we appreciate y’all coming in and doing what you’ve done so far.”

Stewart County Sheriff Frankie Gray said he spoke to the veterinarian who has been taking care of the dogs still at SBBF who said the dogs are healthy. “The place (SBBF) has been cleaned up, they have food, water, are inside where it’s warm,” Gray said. “There aren’t any concerns now.”

Gray said Sagley’s husband has hired a new crew of workers to help with the care of the dogs.

Welfare checks, need for shelter

There are currently 21 dogs at SBBF. Twelve were taken to the vet for evaluation and vaccinations, and the remaining nine are already up to date on vaccinations.

Gray brought up the need for a new system to monitor agencies that are receiving money from the county. Even if that responsibility doesn’t fall on the Sheriff’s Office, he said he is ready to take on that role until the county comes up with a new idea.

Beecham agreed but pointed out that SBBF doesn’t receive money from the county.

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Gray said he was committed to checking on the progress at SBBF to ensure everything is kept up to par and he would intermittently visit the rescue.

“There needs to be some restrictions and guidelines put in place for these animal rescues,” Gray told Clarksville Now Friday. “If some of these rescue groups are receiving any money from the county, we need to make sure there are some safeguards in place.”

The sheriff said the bigger issue is that Stewart County needs an animal shelter.

“We’re going to have to have an animal shelter at some point; I’ve lobbied for it,” he said. “You’ve got to have the money for it, and Stewart County is a small county when it comes to money, and it’s limited. But I think, down the road, we’re going to have to do that, and that’s something that’s being worked on. But it’s not something that’s going to happen next week.”

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