Search warrants detail the accusations of animal cruelty coming from current and former Dogs Deserve Better employees who took pictures of the supposed methods of mistreatment.
"Animals are being maced and tased on a regular basis."
"There have been several dog fights and injured animals are not being vetted."
"Dogs are being crated in unsuitable size crates for a minimum of 19 hours a day."
Surry County Animal Control officers say Tamira Thayne, the woman who founded the non-profit rescue "Dogs Deserve Better," is behind it all.
A Monday afternoon raid at the Vick property produced even more evidence including nine cans of mace and a TASER. The items were found inside by Animal Control Officers and Sheriff's Deputies.
After search warrants were filed in court, we went to the Dogs Deserve Better house for answers.
We were met by employees who did not want to be identified, and we asked if they were indeed tasing dogs and why one was found in the home.
“No, we were not tasing dogs. The batteries in the TASER were dead when they tried it, so how is a dog supposed to be tased if the batteries are dead in one they found in the back of a drawer?”
They would not comment on the mace that was found.
Regardless of their denials, Animal Control officers still felt it necessary to seize one of their dogs, a black and white pit bull named Jada, along with all of her veterinary records.
Tamira Thayne has not yet commented on the charges against her.
She is set to go to court on September 25th.
