knoxnews.com-Two dogs rescued from Hurricane Florence by an East Tennessee man were shot and killed last week during an effort to return them to their shelter in South Carolina. 

Tony Alsup, 51, of Greenback, Tennessee, drove a school bus to South Carolina during the storm in September and left with 64 dogs and cats. He said the animals would be delivered to shelters throughout the country. 

However, four of those dogs ended up back at Alsup's property last week. Two were shot by a neighbor and one was injured during a dog fight within the small cage they were staying in, according to an incident report from the Blount County Sheriff's Office. 

Alsup did not immediately respond to messages requesting comment Friday.

Devon Smith, executive director of St. Frances Animal Center in Georgetown, South Carolina, didn't hear about the Oct. 19 shooting until Tuesday. Smith already was suspicious about the welfare of the animals. 

"It became apparent during Florence that we had to evacuate all the animals," Smith said. "I didn't have a good gut feeling about (Alsup), but I made the call to send the dogs with him."

A 'bizarre' encounter 

Smith planned to transport multiple animals to rescue groups during the storm and bunk down with the remaining ones in South Carolina. When the weather report became more severe, it was clear that all the animals would have to be evacuated. 

A nearby humane society director called Smith as she was driving to New York with animals. The director told her about Alsup and his school bus, which she described as "strange," Smith said. 

Smith hesitated to send the dogs with Alsup but did not see another viable option. She verified with local rescuers that Alsup was legit and made the call. 

"In the back of my mind, I was not excited about this," Smith said. 

After the storm passed, Smith said, she contacted Alsup asking for a list of locations the dogs were taken. Alsup could not provide specific details, she said.

Smith said she tracked down 18 of the 23 dogs transported from the shelter, herself.

"It was a huge red flag," Smith said. "Some of those people who took the dogs also shared my opinion that this wasn't done in a way that was typically acceptable in animal welfare." 

Four of the dogs ended up with Roxanne Davis, of New Tazewell, who Alsup met with in Knoxville.

"The very first time I actually met him was bizarre," Davis said. "He just started unloading these dogs, and it was a total cluster. ... All we would talk about was how great he was and how he was saving all these dogs and he's a media superstar. I don't do this for you, you schmuck. I do it for the dogs."

Davis said she made it clear that she could only keep the dogs for two weeks before they needed to be taken to a New York rescue Alsup was in coordination with. 

Roughly a month passed, and communication with Alsup was "nonexistent," Davis said.

"He wouldn't respond," she said. "It was a nightmare." 

'Do not shoot that dog'

Smith said she contacted Alsup two weeks ago to arrange getting the dogs back to South Carolina. He told her he could handle it in two weeks, Smith said.

At the time of the shooting, Smith was out of the country and unable to communicate with Davis, who had to leave for Orlando for work. She had no way to transport the dogs to South Carolina herself. 

"Unfortunately, I assumed (Smith) was in contact with Tony, and here I am (at his home) with the dogs," Davis said. "They were very sweet, happy dogs. There was no reason to think there would ever be a fight."

Davis said she brought the dogs — Whiskey, Humphrey, Mandy and Domino — to Alsup's home. Debra Erickson was there, but Alsup was out of  town, Davis said. 

Because Mandy had a contagious mange, she was separated from the other dogs, which were placed in a small kennel, Davis said. Davis was skeptical about the arrangement. 

"When we left, the dogs were in kennels," Davis said. "In less than an hour, I got a text from Tony asking why I dumped these vicious dogs on him."

Davis said she later received a text from Tony that the dogs were being shot. 

"We turned our car around," Davis said. "I get Tony on the phone and I'm pleading with him to stop (the) shooting. ... Literally, I'm screaming: 'Do not shoot that dog. Those dogs better be breathing when I get there.'" 

Davis arrived, and they were not. 

The shooting: 'That's what you get.'

According to the Sheriff's Office incident report, Erickson called police dispatch twice after reporting three of the dogs were fighting. Prior to the shooting, Erickson said, a water hose was used in an attempt to separate the dogs, according to the report. 

Before officers arrived, Joseph Isbell, of Maryville, helped Erickson try to separate the dogs. When those attempts failed, Isbell retrieved his gun and shot the dogs, the report said. 

A video of the shooting captured by a neighbor features multiple voices speaking during the shooting. A female voice states that a dog's jaw was locked on another before the first shot was fired.

"I shot it in the head," one voice said. "I took care of it though." 

An unidentified voice then asks, "Do you want one, too?"

A man said yes, and another shot was fired from the .38 special. 

"That's what you get," a voice said. "I hate to do that." 

Two more shots were fired before a man said, "He's done." 

Davis arrived at the scene where Whiskey and Humphrey were killed and asked to take Domino to the vet, herself. 

"We get back there, and it was apparent that the injured dog was on the far wall," Davis said. "One of the dogs there was in the kennel in the corner where he was obviously cowering when they blew his head off. There's no words." 

Domino had bites on his front legs, head and throat. He required a two-hour surgery and is now on double doses of antibiotics and pain killers in Davis' care, she said. 

Mandy is now in a safe location, and both dogs will be returned to South Carolina on Sunday, Smith said. 

"My intention was never for this guy to hold our animals," she said. "I was pretty upset and followed up with everyone I could to fill in the details to find out what happened." 

According to an animal control officer cited in the report, "it was a poor decision to have the male dogs in the same caging area as they were in."

'Fabulous, sweet, goofy dogs' 

Saint Frances Animal Center took to Facebook on Tuesday to share the story. 

"While we are so grateful to the vast majority of the groups who stepped up to help out during Hurricane Florence, this is the worst possible reminder that not everyone who sets out to help has the knowledge and experience to do so," the post read. "Whiskey and Humphrey were fabulous, sweet, goofy dogs whom we loved dearly, and they deserved so much more."

Whiskey came to the shelter partially paralyzed and "overcame a lot," Smith said. He would play fetch, despite having to drag his rear end, and Davis said it was almost impossible to take photos of him because he was constantly running and playing. 

Davis described Humphrey as a "silly puppy." 

Although the Facebook post did not include Alsup's name, his attorney reached out to Smith with a cease and desist letter asking her to remove statements made about him on social media. 

"We further demand that you cease and forever desist in the dissemination of any similarly untrue statements, allegations and any and all defamation of Mr. Alsup's character and reputation," the letter read. 

Smith said she has decided not to delete the post.