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Dog group could face perjury
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Members of a Nashville animal rescue group could face criminal charges after prosecutors revealed Tuesday they have proof which reportedly shows the group lied when members said two Great Danes ran away while they were holding them for the local Humane Society.“We have evidence to suggest they most likely misled us when they reported the dogs had gone missing,” prosecutor Josh Crain told General Sessions Judge Larry Ross during a hearing Tuesday, noting there are photographs which bring into question the sworn statement sent to the court by a representative from Dames for Danes.Dames for Danes had two dogs placed in its protective custody after the canines were taken from a local family after members of the Warren County Humane Society seized the dogs from their property, claiming the animals were not being properly cared for.When the case against the owners was brought to court, prosecutors asked the case to be dismissed saying Humane Society volunteers had violated the owners’ Fourth Amendment rights against illegal search and seizure. The criminal animal neglect charges were dropped and Judge Ross ordered the dogs returned immediately.However, two weeks later, when the dogs had not been returned, Clay Lerch of the local Humane Society was hauled into court and asked why he did not follow the court order. It was then Dames for Danes sent a sworn statement saying the dogs had run away during a thunderstorm and only one had been recovered.