Animal control began removing animals from a nonprofit rescue near East 12th Street and Memorial Drive on Wednesday, as police investigated conditions there. Officers reported finding more than 20 living animals, some malnourished, and one person was arrested that evening.
The investigation followed an animal control report at about 3:04 p.m. of a strong odor believed to be coming from a deceased animal, according to News On 6. Tulsa police Lt. Torin Sanders said officers obtained a search warrant before entering the property, where they found more than 20 living animals, some of them malnourished.
One person was arrested Wednesday evening. Lt. Sanders said a second arrest was expected, the station reported.
What Investigators Still Don't Know
Authorities have not confirmed how many animals were found dead at the property, News On 6 reported. The Tulsa District Attorney's Office will determine what charges could ultimately be brought, according to the report.
Police also clarified that the nonprofit rescue is not affiliated with the City of Tulsa, as reported by News On 6, distancing the municipal government from the facility where the animals were found.
How This Compares to Past Oklahoma Cases
Tulsa has seen other large-scale animal rescues in recent years, though the evidence does not point to any broader pattern tying them together. In a separate case, Tulsa Animal Services removed 25 animals from a South Tulsa home for evaluation and care, a case that ended with defendant Mia Hagin pleading no contest after her original felony animal-cruelty charges were amended down to two misdemeanor disturbing-the-peace counts, as reported by News On 6.
Care and court outcomes in a separate case
In the South Tulsa case, 25 dogs removed on Thursday, March 19, were taken to a shelter for assessment and care. The City said Tulsa Animal Services was working with the Humane Society of Tulsa and Animal Aid of Tulsa on treatment and rehoming, according to KTUL. In that separate case, Mia Hagin pleaded no contest after her original felony animal-cruelty charges were amended to two misdemeanor disturbing-the-peace counts. The case against Craig Hagin remained ongoing in the report, according to News On 6.
A Turley investigation reported in February 2025 was more severe: deputies said they rescued 39 dogs and recovered five dead dogs, according to ktul.com. Three men — Marshall Favors, 61, Joseph Lutz, 45, and Joseph Vipperman, 29 — were booked into the Tulsa County Jail on multiple counts of felony animal cruelty in that case.
Elsewhere in Oklahoma, officers in Del City seized 16 dogs, nine cats and one bearded dragon from a condemned building where some animals were caged without food or water, as reported by kfor.com. Sarahi Flores was arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty in that investigation.
What Counts as Neglect in Tulsa
The City of Tulsa lists starvation, dehydration, parasite infestations, inadequate shelter in extreme weather, and failure to seek needed veterinary care among its examples of animal neglect, as noted by City of Tulsa. The city advises residents who suspect animal cruelty to contact Animal Services or the Tulsa Police Department immediately.
For now, the scope of what happened at the East 12th Street rescue remains under investigation, with the number of animals that died still unconfirmed and a second arrest still pending.
