Animal advocates call for deeper investigation into neglect case involving more than 160 pigs

Six people came to the last Burke County commissioners meeting to address ongoing concerns with an animal neglect case involving more than 160 pigs in March — five asked commissioners to reopen the case for investigation, while one stood up for the woman who kept the pigs.

Twenty of the animals were severely underweight and two had to be put down due to illness or infection, but the county determined no animal neglect charges were warranted against the homeowner, Amy Mullins, whose property is off U.S. 64.

Evan Costner, a co-director of South Carolina-based rescue Cotton Branch Sanctuary, said there were concerns about the property long before 2026, and that Hurricane Helene did not create this crisis.

Burke Public Information Officer Chris White previously said Mullins’ barn and home were destroyed during Helene. She could not afford repairs.

White said that, with the exception of two pigs, the others were healthy, and “the pigs can live in that, they thrive in that.”

Jay Yontz, co-founder of Ziggy’s Refuge Farm Sanctuary out of Providence, N.C., was part of the efforts to collect the pigs. Yontz previously said: “It was completely unlivable. … The entire floor was just covered in feces, inches deep.”

Costner suggested animal control had not kept documents regarding the case or previous calls about Mullins and her property. He said people should know when animal control was first contacted, what was reported, who received the reports, what investigation was done, and what follow-ups there were.

Costner said he is not asking commissioners to prosecute anyone. He said he is asking for the county to provide oversight of animal control and demand a formal review.

“If Burke County allows this case to disappear, the message is unmistakable,” Costner said. “Hundreds of animals can suffer, animals can die. We clean up the mess, and the county can simply move on as if nothing happened.”

Gary Mullins, Amy’s father, spoke in her defense.

Gary said his daughter developed agoraphobia, anxiety, and depression from events in the last year. He said she has seen a psychiatrist and sought counseling — “she’s doing everything she needs to do.”

“She accepted responsibility for the fact this occurred, but it also has to be considered, her mental state and the pressure that was put on her by other people that made her go in depression, and the people that continue to put on the pressure on someone that has a mental illness,” Gary said. “(It) is inexcusable. It’s evil.”

There has been no further movement on the case at this time.