Hardin is ‘light in animal welfare’ advocacy | The News Enterprise

Several local law enforcement agencies were jointly honored on Tuesday with the 2025 Humane Law Enforcement Award for their work in prosecuting a high-profile animal torture case that’s already shaping the future of animal protections in Kentucky. 

“We present our Humane Law Enforcement Awards to agencies across the country that do exemplary work to highlight animal cruelty — and more importantly prosecute it, and make sure justice is served,” said Todd Blevins, Kentucky state director of Humane World for Animals. “Hardin County is leading the light in animal welfare in the state.”

While the award usually honors a single entity, Blevins said there were many who played a role in the success of the local case, including Hardin County Animal Care & Control, Radcliff Police Department and Hardin County’s Commonwealth Attorney.  

“From the time of investigation, all the way through prosecution, the work was exemplary,” Blevins said. “That’s why I have multiple awards.”

Det. Kenneth Mattingly represented the Radcliff Police Department in accepting its award on Tuesday at a ceremony during the county’s fiscal court meeting. 

“Collectively, this was a group effort,” Mattingly said. “Radcliff Police Department is not responsible for this alone.”

A Radcliff woman was sentenced to serve six years after a jury found her responsible for the death of 34 dogs and the injuries and poor conditions for several others. It was the harshest sentence ever delivered in an animal torture case in Kentucky.

During the case, Hardin County Animal Care and Control housed and cared for a number of the surviving dogs removed from the woman’s home for an extended time. 

Animal Care & Control Director Mike McNutt on Tuesday said he wanted to bring the entire staff that cared for the dogs to the awards reception, but there was not enough space for the team. 

“Two and a half years of taking care of the same 14 animals — there’s bonds that are built,” McNutt said. “It was a labor of love.”

Animal Control Officer Chris Syler was also saluted on Tuesday for his work in gathering evidence in the case, while Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Eric Carr was recognized for the “powerful” closing remarks he delivered before getting a conviction in the case. 

“I’m just the mouthpiece,” Carr said.

Other prosecutors across the state have already reached out to Carr to help on how to better handle animal cruelty cases, Blevins said. 

“It’s not often, in animal welfare, that we get to celebrate a victory of this magnitude,” Blevins said.

Greg Thompson can be reached at 270-505-1414 or gthompson@thenewsenterprise.com.