Man arrested in Foley after animal cruelty incident involving dogs and gunfire

GCM Staff Report
Posted 1/16/25

A Foley man was arrested Tuesday after police responded to reports of a disturbance involving dogs fighting and gunshots in a residential neighborhood.

Foley police received multiple calls …

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Man arrested in Foley after animal cruelty incident involving dogs and gunfire

Posted

A Foley man was arrested Tuesday after police responded to reports of a disturbance involving dogs fighting and gunshots in a residential neighborhood.

Foley police received multiple calls around 9 p.m. on Jan. 14 from residents in the 600 block of West Marigold Avenue reporting the sounds of dogs fighting, followed by gunfire. When officers arrived, the situation appeared to have calmed, but the homeowner refused to answer the door.

The case was referred to the Investigations Division the following morning. Officers returned to the residence and made contact with Thomas K. Hall, 61, who was inside the home. During the visit, officers inspected the property, including the backyard and the dogs involved in the disturbance.

Investigators learned that Hall had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear on an unrelated matter. He was arrested on that charge and questioned further about the incident.

According to police, Hall stated that one of his more aggressive dogs attacked a timid dog, and when he was unable to physically stop the fight, he was bitten in the process. Hall told investigators he fired a shotgun into the ground to break up the dogs. The attacked dog reportedly fled and hid under a shed in the backyard.

A subsequent inspection revealed that two of the dogs had injuries from the fight. Foley police transported the injured animals to a local veterinarian for further evaluation and treatment. While the dogs showed no signs of being shot, officers said Hall failed to seek medical attention for their injuries, leading to charges against him.

Hall now faces charges of discharging a firearm in the city limits and two counts of cruelty to animals. Police are also investigating whether any of the dogs meet the criteria for being classified as vicious under Foley’s city ordinance.

"The police department takes these cases seriously, and they take time to investigate and must be done thoroughly," the police department said in a statement.