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Written by: E. George
Published December 1, 2024 @ 5:05 PM ET
Warning: The following report describes alleged violence against/neglect of animals.
CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. – On October 31, 2024, authorities arrested a 51-year-old Temple man for abandoning 14 dogs by the side of the roadway near Levans Road in Bremen, resulting in several being struck by vehicles. Multiple canines sustained injuries, and one was killed.
At approximately 9:30 PM, a Carroll County Sheriff’s deputy spoke with an animal control officer, who explained that a witness had photographed the culprit’s truck and license plate after the man claimed he was letting the dogs go to the bathroom. A second witness called 911 about the dogs and said she and her husband were trying to catch them all.
The deputy looked up the information and learned the truck belonged to Barry Allen Moilanen. On the phone, Moilanen told the officer that he was being evicted and did not know what else to do.
He said he spoke with an animal shelter, but they told him they could not help him. The deputy explained that his actions could lead to repercussions and that he should not leave animals in that situation.
The suspect agreed to meet the deputy to help collect them. On the way there, the deputy received word that one of the dogs had perished and others were injured.
The officer handcuffed Moilanen and transported him to the Carroll County Jail, where he was charged with aggravated animal cruelty. This case is pending in court.
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On October 31, 2024, at 9:34 p.m., Animal Control Officer Courtnie Mashek (#58) called to inform me about reports regarding a possible abandonment of 22 or more dogs on the side of the road near [300 BLOCK] Levans Rd. in Carroll County.
During my conversation with Officer Mashek, she mentioned that a complainant named [WITNESS #1] reported that a man with the dogs claimed he was stopping to let them use the bathroom. Officer Mashek also noted that [WITNESS #1] had sent her photos of the vehicle and license plate belonging to the man who may have been abandoning the animals. I requested Officer Mashek to keep me updated on the situation and to notify me if I needed to be dispatched.
At 9:32 p.m., Officer Mashek sent me the three pictures the complainant had forwarded her. The images showed the man standing behind his truck with the dogs, and the license plate was visible in the photos.
At 10:05 p.m., Officer Mashek called me back to inform me that another complainant, [WITNESS #2], had contacted 911. She reported that 25 or more dogs were running around near [300 BLOCK] Levans Rd., and she and her husband were attempting to catch them. Officer Mashek said she would head to the location to capture the animals. I informed her that I would also be on my way.
After ending my call with Officer Mashek, I used her photos to look up the license plate, which I discovered belonged to Berry Allen Moilanen. I also found a contact number for Mr. Moilanen, so I called him. When he answered, I introduced myself and explained the reason for my call. Mr. Moilanen mentioned that he was being evicted from his home and didn’t know what else to do. He stated he had attempted to talk to the animal shelter, but they told him they couldn’t help.
I explained to Mr. Moilanen that Animal Control was en route to the location and that his actions could lead to repercussions. I told Mr. Moilanen I would help find a solution if possible, but he should not leave the dogs in that situation. Mr. Moilanen agreed to come and assist in gathering the animals and said he would meet me at the site.
While on my way to the scene, around 10:25 p.m., Officer Mashek called again to inform me that one animal had been killed and others were injured.
I arrived at the scene at 10:44 p.m. and met with Mr. Moilanen, who was gathering dogs and placing them in the back of his truck. Upon looking in the back of the truck, I counted approximately 13 dogs and one dead dog. Officer Mashek confirmed that the dead dog had been struck by a car and that others were injured.
At 10:59 p.m., Mr. Moilanen was handcuffed, with the cuffs double-locked and checked for fit. He was then placed in Deputy #9041’s car and transported to Carroll County Jail on charges of aggravated animal cruelty due to his actions that led to his dog’s death.
[End of Narrative]