WEST FRANKFORT - Animal control and police officials recently responded to a domestic call that resulted in 14 dogs being taken from a West Frankfort residence.

As of Wednesday afternoon, only two dogs were left awaiting adoption but animal control officials said this isn't their first run in with the animal's former owners.

Neighbors alerted police Sept. 21 to a domestic problem and animal nuisance. Upon arrival, police found a dispute taking place between Brandy R. Chaney, 33, and Christopher Davis, 21, both residents of 503 S. Douglas St.

Police called animal control to the scene, where Animal Control Supervisor Jarrett Broy said 14 dogs were taken into custody, including several pit bulls and pit bull mix-breeds. Chaney was charged with dogs running at large and convicted on Sept. 23. She was order to pay a fine.

"They had some in the house and some outside," Broy said. "They had a fight and were in the yard and they just let them (the dogs) out to run all over, and they were running the neighbors back into their houses. That was the second or third time we had been there that week."

It was also the second time the police had visited the home, according to Chief of Police Jeff Tharp, who said both Davis and Chaney had been charged earlier that week with actions stemming from a separate domestic altercation.

"We took two of the dogs to the shelter and the rest went to rescues," Broy said. "This was the second time we had gotten dogs from them. The first time was when they lived in Benton. They have done this before, and we have had problems with them for a while. They have pit bulls and you can go and get them. And neighbors tell us by that night, they will have more."

Broy said the dogs confiscated on Sunday were not the same animals taken while the duo lived in Benton. He noted that none of the dogs were aggressive and included a mother and nine puppies.

"About three years ago we charged them with animal cruelty," Broy explained.

The supervisor said an eye witness saw Davis and Chaney throw a kitten from a moving vehicle, causing serious injury to the animal.

"This time we also took a cat and two kittens from the residence," Broy said.

Franklin County Court records show Davis has a previous Jan. 2008 felony charge for violating mandates of the sex offender registry.

A jury pretrial is set for Davis on the charge for violating sex offender registration. He is set to appear in court at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 1.

Chaney's record shows a 2006 charge for cruelty to animals, a criminal misdemeanor. She was found guilty and received 12 months of conditional discharge. In November 2006, she was found guilty of an ordinance violation for dogs running at large.

In July and August 2008, she was again charged with dogs running at large. Those charges were dismissed by the state.

tara.fasol@thesouthern.com / 351-5824