News

Actions

Franklin woman convicted of animal cruelty charges

Posted at 6:14 PM, Nov 25, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-25 18:15:31-05

FRANKLIN, Va. – Jean Turner was found guilty of cruelty to animals, stemming from her extreme neglect of an 8-year-old dog named Thaya.

Turner was ordered to pay a $1,000 dollar fine. Her further sentencing has been postponed until January 27, when Turner must provide the court with a statement from a veterinarian attesting to the condition of the other animals in her custody.

On August 22, Turner requested that PETA pick up and euthanize the ailing dog, but when the group’s fieldworker arrived at Turner’s residence, she found Thaya emaciated, dehydrated, severely matted, immobile, and unresponsive, records say.

Records say the dog’s eyes were completely matted shut with pus, was covered with feces, and she was suffering from a necrotic bedsore ulcer on her left hip, indicating that she had likely been lying helplessly in the same position for a long time.

A necropsy confirmed that Thaya suffered from severe urine and fecal scalding, pressure sores, sloughing skin and malnourishment. She also had an untreated dental disease and a severe ear infection, and some of her nails were so badly overgrown that they were growing into her paw pads, records show.