By Kara Crump
Staff Writer
Loving Paws Rescue of Luray has been the topic of conversation on local social media boards recently with discussions of how to help support the dogs’ care, accusations of neglect and abuse and some questioning the rescue’s legitimacy. The rescue was first registered in 2009 by Carol Pruess. C. Preuss ran all operations until July 2022, when she suffered a serious injury and moved to Shelby County, where she rehabilitated, unable to return to her former work. C. Preuss’s husband Ron Preuss took over the on-site care. C. Preuss told the Chester County Independent she officially closed the rescue in the beginning of 2023. R. Preuss continued to run the rescue from their Luray home, requesting local assistance to feed, vet and provide for the dogs in his care. On numerous occasions he has posted about taking in additional dogs, and sharing the many needs a rescue sees each day.
The online debates increased in July when Carrie Lewis (Bowman) posted photos on Facebook depicting dogs with visible medical issues and a house littered with feces, alleging the photos were of the Loving Paws property. This has sparked numerous debates on social platforms between many area citizens. Carol Preuss told the Independent she had taken the photos while on the property for a short time in July to retrieve personal property. The Preusses are currently separated.
When questioned whether there is an investigation into this matter, the 26th Judicial District Attorney General Jody Pickens and Assistant District Attorney Chad Wood and the Chester County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment. The Independent recently spoke with Ron Preuss to uncover the truth of the allegations and the current and future state of the local rescue. Ron stated he took over care of the rescue when Carol left in 2022. He denies having any help from her after her accident. He said he has continued to care for the animals, sharing the name of the veterinarian he goes to, and that all the dogs’ check-ups, shots and vaccinations are up to date. Demings Vet in Jackson was visited but declined to comment, or give any updates on Wednesday, August 7. Preuss said he continues to take in more dogs and that many are dropped off at his residence. Throughout the two years, Ron said he has had his hands full. It is unknown how many dogs occupy the residence. He said he has continued to run the rescue through a difficult illness over the past months. He claims the pictures of his property mentioned above are staged to be worse than what they truly are. While some social media posts ask what people can do to help, others have accused Ron of not properly taking care of the animals. Some of these include that he has returned donated dog food for cash, not taken the dogs to their veterinarian check-ups (or at all) and has allowed the dogs to run free throughout the neighborhood (causing problems to the neighbors). There are many different citizens (inside and outside of Chester County) coming forward claiming R. Preuss has been offered help from other rescuers, shelters and continues to refuse it. Others have accused him of hoarding the dogs all together. A petition was created on change.org called “Demand the Removal of All Animals from Ron Preuss’s Residence,” and it had acquired 465 signatures out of the 500-signature goal, as of press time Tuesday. R. Preuss told the Chester County Independent the Loving Paws Rescue’s property went up for auction on July 9 due to foreclosure. “It’s not going to happen. I am going to fight it,” Preuss stated when asked what his future-plans are after foreclosure. As for the legitimacy of the rescue, R. Preuss said, while the rescue is currently not registered, he is in the process of completing paperwork, including Form 990, to bring the registration current under the name Loving Paws Rescue Sanctuary, and that it is pending. A Form 990 is “Tax-exempt organizations, nonexempt charitable trusts, and section 527 political organizations file Form 990 to provide the IRS with the information required by section 6033,” states the IRS on their official website irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-990. The Registered Charity search on the Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s website (tncab.sos.gov/portal/registered-charities-search) shows The Loving Paws Rescue in Luray, TN is owned by Mrs. Carol A. Preuss. Three employees are listed: Carol Preuss – Director, Amy Churchwell – Treasurer and Laurie Parten – Other. Ron Preuss does not show up as either an owner or an employee for Loving Paws Rescue. While both are currently still married (pending a divorce, according to both), Ron Preuss’ name would have to be on the official document to legally represent Loving Paws Rescue officially. The registration date began May 28, 2009 and shows a renewal date should have been January 31, 2019. The current registration status expired more than five years ago under CO Number: CO13556. Doug Kufner, Communications Director at the Office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, said “I checked with the Division of Businesses and Charitable Organizations. Loving Paws Rescue Sanctuary does not have any current or pending filings with us. As such, there is no organization named Loving Paws Rescue Sanctuary that is registered with our office. As for Loving Paws Rescue, its filing expired in 2019,” he said. When asked for the charity’s CO Number, Preuss provided “Exempt Organizations or Institutions – Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Exemption” form from the State of Tennessee Department of Revenue as proof of his licensing. The form was made to “Loving Paws Rescue” with an Exemption Number (otherwise known as EIN) stated as: 709314816. Its effective date began July 1, 2023, and its expiration date is June 30, 2027. According to the State of Tennessee Department of Revenue, a 501(c) form must be submitted to become tax exempt. To obtain a 501(c) form, a 990 Form must first be completed, submitted and accepted. On IRS.gov there is a “Tax Exempt Organization Search” that found no results on the business name or the EIN number in the document that was sent to the Chester County Independent on Thursday, August 8. This alleged document has also been shown by Preuss to others on Facebook as proof of licensing of Loving Paws Rescue. Preuss uses his own personal Cashapp account to accept donations from the public. He stated on his Facebook account on August 5, “..want to help a good cause my cash app is below. I use this one cause it’s easy and it’s what I know.” Preuss claimed he turns in his donation money through his Cashapp account, when he spoke with the Independent on August 6. He said he offers those not comfortable donating to his Cashapp to donate dog food. According to the manager at Tractor Supply Co.’s Manager in Henderson, “Yes, we had to ban Ron Preuss. There were people purchasing dog food online, and when he came in to return them for cash, we had to return it to the online purchaser,” she said, requesting to remain unidentified. “This happened about four or five separate times after his wife’s accident. He would become irate with my team-leads. Cursing them out and threatening them, to where we had to ban him from the store.” Most recently, Ron Preuss posted on his Facebook page that he had albino pitbull puppies (and their pitbull mother) who would be going to “Pitbulls and Parolees” on Friday, August 23. The Chester County Independent reached out to Tia Torres (star of Animal Planet’s series “Pitbulls and Parolees” which is no longer airing) to find out if R. Preuss’s claims were true. Torres responded, “Unfortunately he is lying to you. I have never even heard of this guy. Sorry,” on Monday August 26. Under TN Code § 5-1-120 (2021) Power to Regulate Stray Animals which states, “Counties, by resolution of their respective legislative bodies, may license and regulate dogs and cats, establish and operate shelters and other animal control facilities, and regulate, capture, impound and dispose of stray dogs, stray cats and other stray animals.” To report charity fraud, call the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-382-4357, the Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s Investigation Tip Hotline at 1-800-861-7393 or send an email to the Secretary of State Charities Office at this website: sos.tn.gov/form/contact-charities.
