Chiefs star accused of animal cruelty after ‘malnourished dogs found on porch’

NFL defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, Isaiah Buggs, has denied allegations of animal cruelty after he was accused of abusing two dogs.

On Wednesday, court documents alleged that Buggs, 27, abused a Pitbull and a Rottweiler mix.

The documents from Tuscaloosa Alabama County court said the dogs were found severely malnourished and neglected.

One of the dogs has since been euthanized.

The dogs were found at a home rented by the Chiefs player, who moved out of it in March, according to neighbors, per court documents, reported by AL.

Buggs allegedly owed over $3,000 in rent when he left.

The football player, who “vehemently denies” the allegations, has two misdemeanor warrants against him for second-degree animal cruelty.

HORROR DETAILS

On March 28, Tuscaloosa police were alerted about two dogs that were left at the back of a home.

Police and the City of Tuscaloosa Animal Control arrived at the home and found a grey and white Pitbull on the screened-in back porch surrounded by feces, according to court records.

They also found a black Rottweiler mix locked in a metal cage that was placed in direct sunlight and had no access to food or water.

Both animals were taken the day they were found because they were “severely malnourished, emaciated, neglected.”

The home also appeared to be abandoned.

Witnesses said Buggs moved out of the house around March 19 before a termination notice was served to the NFL player on April 15 for the back rent he owned, according to the outlet.

At the end of April, the Pitbull was euthanized at the Tuscaloosa County Metro Animal Shelter because of the animal’s “increasingly aggressiveness” and failed heartworm treatment given by the shelter.

Records stated that the Rottweiler weighed 52 pounds which was extremely underweight for a 3-year-old dog of that breed, according to experts.

‘VEHEMENTLY DENIES’

After learning the rental property was housed by Buggs and the dogs were taken, authorities have been trying to reach the Chiefs player, but have had no luck, according to documents.

Both dogs were ‘severely malnourished, emaciated, neglected.’

Tuscaloosa Alabama County court documents

The civil court documents said Buggs is “unable, unwilling or unfit” to properly care for the dogs and is asking to permanently give custody of the dogs to the shelter.

Buggs “vehemently denies the truthfulness of the allegations and charges asserted against him,” said Buggs’ agent, Trey Robinson, according to a tweet shared by Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.

“We believe the City of Tuscaloosa’s decision to file charges today is part of a concerted effort by the City of Tuscaloosa and Tuscaloosa Police Department to besmirch Mr. Buggs’ name and reputation as part of an ongoing subversive campaign to force the close of his local business Kings Hookah Lounge,” the statement continued.

Robinson shared that Buggs was arrested twice at the lounge in two months on misdemeanors, but the records were not made public.

The statement did not say what the arrests were for.

“The City used the threat of pursuing and publicizing both the allegations filed today and these arrests as leverage against Mr. Buggs by offering to drop and not pursue them in exchange for his voluntary surrender of his business license,” the statement read.

Robinson wrote that Buggs declined the offer because he has “serious concerns” about the city’s motives for “deciding to target his business.”

The football player intends to “bring to light” those motives in his legal defense against the animal cruelty charge, the statement continued.

TEAM PLAYER

Buggs started with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 before joining the Detroit Lions in 2022.

After his 2023 season with the Lions, he was released on January 2 and joined the Chiefs two days later, according to AL.

He re-signed with the team on February 17 after being on the practice squad in time for Super Bowl LVIII.

He has 89 tackles and two sacks in 56 career regular season games. 

The U.S. Sun has contacted Isaiah Buggs for comment.