Rescue accused of animal cruelty after pulling hundreds of dogs from metro shelters
Records show Cane-9 Rescue took about 250 dogs before authorities and animal-rescue workers found dozens in hazardous conditions.
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - An investigation into a multi-state animal rescue organization operating out of residential properties in Georgia and Tennessee has uncovered allegations of severe neglect, with animals found dead and dozens more living in filthy, hazardous conditions.
The operators of Cane-9 Rescue & Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization marketed as a safe haven for vulnerable dogs, now face felony animal cruelty charges following coordinated raids by local law enforcement.
An investigation by Atlanta News First confirmed that Cane-9 Rescue & Sanctuary pulled approximately 250 dogs from metro Atlanta animal control shelters over an eight-month period.
Public records identify the owner as Jennifer Caneup. She and her relative Joshua Caneup operated the nonprofit out of two residential properties: one in Douglas County, Georgia, and another in Cheatham County, Tennessee.
Dogs found dead, injured inside two rescue homes
In Douglas County, investigators found 18 dogs living among urine and feces with minimal ventilation inside a home in Winston, according to arrest warrants. The warrants allege one puppy had starved to death and another dog lost an eye after not receiving medical care.
The warrants and animal control records show most of the dogs matched names, ages and breeds of dogs Cane-9 pulled from Clayton County Animal Control from March to June 2026.
At the Tennessee Cane-9 facility, crisis rescue group Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) found 37 dogs, seven chickens, two turkeys and one pig. ARC said the animals were living among feces, bones and debris, along with the remains of other animals.
“Veterinary examinations revealed conditions consistent with significant neglect,” ARC staff said. “Many of the animals were underweight and dehydrated and suffered from ear and eye infections, internal parasites, ringworm, and coccidia.”
Jennifer and Joshua Caneup are each charged with 16 counts of animal cruelty and two counts of aggravated animal cruelty in Douglas County, according to arrest warrants.
Atlanta News First Investigates reached out to Cane-9 Rescue & Sanctuary by email and did not receive a response. Jennifer Caneup did not have an attorney listed in court records as of Aug. 20, 2026. Joshua Caneup is represented by the Douglas County Public Defender’s Office, which did not respond to a request for comment.
About 250 dogs pulled from metro Atlanta shelters
Animal rescues often pull dogs from shelters who need medical care or are on the euthanasia list. In Georgia, animal rescues must be licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA).
Internal Revenue Service records show Cane-9 Rescue & Sanctuary registered as a nonprofit in November 2025, but did not get a license from GDA until February 2026.
Atlanta News First Investigates confirmed the organization began pulling dogs from DeKalb County Animal Services in November 2025. Records show Cane-9 pulled 28 dogs from DeKalb County, at least eight from Bartow County and five from Cobb County.
Clayton County Animal Control transfer records show Cane-9 took 202 dogs from February through June 2026.
Clayton County Police said it does not have records of transfers to Cane-9 before February, though several volunteers told Atlanta News First Investigates the rescue had been taking dogs from Clayton County since November. It is unclear whether Cane-9 worked with other licensed rescues.
Metro Atlanta shelters said they released dogs to Cane-9 because the organization was listed in good standing with GDA.
“The only relationship we had with Cane-9 Rescue is that they were a rescue licensed by the Dept. of Agriculture in the State of GA and could pull animals from us as such,” said Capt. Michael Martin with the Clayton County Police Department, which operates the county’s animal control division.
Etowah Valley Humane Society (EVHS), which facilitates rescue transfers for Bartow County Animal Control, said it released eight dogs to Cane-9 from January through March 2026.
“The Rescue Coordinator had several conversations with Ms. Caneup about what specific breeds or size dogs her rescue specialized in at which point she stated that they were open to helping all breeds and sizes,” the EVHS rescue coordinator said. “Ms. Caneup provided photos of her property in Tennessee along with plans to extend kennel space and an ongoing fundraiser for new kennels.”
The coordinator also said the organization ended its relationship with Cane-9 in April 2026 after learning it was pulling dozens of dogs from other Georgia shelters while not fulfilling financial responsibilities for veterinary expenses.
“While none of those actions are illegal, it was a big red flag that told us something wasn’t right,” the coordinator said. “For the safety of the dogs, EVHS decided to end our relationship with Cane-9 Rescue & Sanctuary.”
Questions about fundraiser money
In some cases, volunteers raise money through crowdsourcing and social media pages to help rescue organizations pay for a dog’s transport, boarding and veterinary care after it is pulled from a shelter.
Atlanta News First Investigates confirmed animal advocates raised money for the care of some dogs rescued by Cane-9.
In a now-deleted Aug. 18, 2026, Facebook post, Partners for Pets Inc., a nonprofit that raises money for dogs on Clayton County’s euthanasia list, wrote, “Partners for Pets is devastated to learn that funds raised to help dogs get out of Clayton County Animal Control appear to have been used by a specific rescue for their personal gain.”
Atlanta News First Investigates matched Clayton County Animal Control transfer records with Partners for Pets fundraisers and linked Cane-9 Rescue to 143 fundraiser dogs, equating to more than $56,000 in pledges and donations. Money raised for each dog’s care ranged from $400 to $800.
According to volunteers who help match dogs with rescues, Partners for Pets takes 10% for platform fundraising fees. The exact amount Cane-9 received could not be independently confirmed.
Partners for Pets wrote in the same deleted Facebook post: “There are a lot of wonderful ethical rescues out there and we all hope and pray that each dog goes to one of those… We have no jurisdiction regarding which rescue can pull a dog, that is the total discretion of the shelter.”
Boarding facility says Cane-9 owes thousands
Not all dogs removed from shelters by Cane-9 went to its facilities.
John Hambright, who runs Rescue Me K-9 Boarding, a separate organization, said Jennifer Caneup asked him to house five dogs that Cane-9 removed from Bartow County Animal Shelter in February 2026. Hambright said he runs the small boarding operation from his home in Kingston, Georgia.
Hambright said he sent a demand letter to Caneup for nearly $3,000 in April after months of seeking payment. Caneup later transferred two dogs to another rescue and left three with Hambright.
Hambright’s records show Caneup paid a portion of her bills to him and still owes more than $4,600.
In a May 17 text, Hambright itemized the amount volunteers had raised for the three dogs before Cane-9 pulled them: more than $5,400 total. Atlanta News First Investigates could not confirm how much money Caneup received for those dogs.
Caneup wrote back on May 17: “Not everyone honored pledges so let’s go to court and i getting it paid off and they are going to be picked up.”
Caneup paid $350 in May, saying she had to pay $4,000 in unexpected surgeries for animals, according to text messages Hambright provided. Hambright said Caneup repeatedly said in June she would pick up the remaining three dogs, but never arrived.
Hambright described the communication as highly difficult, noting that the woman only made partial payments to avoid facing abandonment charges for the thre