Did you find this dog?
asked a missing Catahoula leopard dog’s owner after spotting her pet in a Facebook video exposing a Lawrence County property packed with neglected animals, nypost.com reported. A Missouri dog owner located her missing pet after recognizing its unique bark in the background of footage recorded by a vigilante investigator who discovered scores of trapped animals living in squalid conditions.
Melanie Self Uncovers Lawrence County Animal Cruelty
Melanie Self, a 37-year-old accountant who acts as a pet detective, drove to a junk-covered rural property with her husband on Sept. 29, 2026, after hearing reports that property owner Susan Berry had torn down missing posters for two lost Dalmatians, nypost.com reported. At the property line, Self called out the Dalmatians’ names and heard an overwhelming chorus of barks. When Berry’s husband met them outside and told them to grab a water jug from the back lot, the couple gained unhindered access to a scene featuring piles of debris, dilapidated vehicles, and filthy dogs confined to cages.
There were dead dogs. There were dogs’ bones found in enclosures. I remember the feeling more than the sight. The feeling of sorrow and suffering,
Self told nypost.com. Self posted her video on Facebook, prompting a local woman to contact her after hearing her Catahoula leopard dog barking in the recording. According to a probable cause statement cited by nypost.com, the dog’s distinct bark directly helped the owner identify her missing animal.
Susan Berry Faces Charges While Over 100 Animals Are Rescued
Lawrence County authorities executed a raid on the cluttered lot on a Tuesday, two weeks after the initial investigation, working alongside the Animal Cruelty Task Force and the Missouri Humane Society to rescue more than 100 animals, nypost.com reported. The recovered animals included goats, cats, chickens, and horses, with a horse observed penned up without food or water and an abandoned school bus crammed full of dogs, according to nypost.com and totalnews.com coverage. Prosecutors charged 70-year-old Susan Berry with animal neglect and felony animal theft, nypost.com reported.
While totalnews.com noted that around twenty different residents from the small rural area reached out to Self asking if rescuers found their missing pets, law enforcement officials have not detailed all recovered animals. Berry is not currently listed in the Lawrence County Jail roster, and Self told nypost.com she believes Berry and her husband fled the property because their cars are gone.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Missouri Animal Rescue
Where are the rescued animals being taken?
The Missouri Humane Society stated in a social media post that all rescued animals are transported to their shelters to receive emergency veterinary care, as reported by nypost.com.
What types of animals were discovered on Susan Berry’s property?
Rescuers recovered more than 100 animals, including dogs, cats, goats, chickens, and horses, according to nypost.com and totalnews.com.
How long has Melanie Self been investigating missing pets?
Melanie Self has worked as a pet vigilante for approximately four years, beginning when she helped rescue a litter of trapped puppies, nypost.com reported.
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