By: Summer Kelley, Staff Reporter

Hillard Allen Stevens has been arrested on new charges of animal cruelty.

On Feb. 15th, Stevens went to the Dade County Sheriff’s Office to file a police report. A Dade County deputy conducted a follow up investigation at Stevens’ residence. 

During the follow up investigation, the deputy noticed that Stevens had several wire cages containing rabbits and that there were a large amount of chickens on the property. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and evidence of chickens being killed was discovered on the property.

The 59 year-old Dade County man was first arrested on Dec. 8, 2009, when deputies investigated a case of animal cruelty at Stevens’ property. Deceased dogs that appeared to have been stabbed to death were found as were several other deceased animals including more than 20 cows, two goats and five dogs.  Stevens was charged with animal cruelty and received treatment in Rome before returning to the custody of the Sheriff’s Department where he was later released.

Stevens is currently being held at the Dade County jail on the new animal cruelty charges.