Animal Rights Group Sues Owner of Seized Dogs

100+ Dogs Seized From Raleigh Home

An animal rights group on Wednesday filed suit against a Wake County woman from whose home authorities seized more than 100 dogs.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund is seeking a court order that would prevent Janie Conyers, 77, from regaining ownership of the dogs and would bar her from owning other animals for 10 years.

Wake County Animal Control officers seized 112 dogs, primarily toy poodles, and eight birds from Conyers' home at 8252 Holly Springs Road on Oct. 19. A woman looking to breed her poodle had reported filthy and crowded conditions to authorities.

An animal cruelty investigator found animal waste accumulated on the surfaces of the animal housing and that the residence was "heavily infested with cockroaches" and rodent feces, as well as strong smells of ammonia and an infestation of bugs, according to a search warrant.

The lawsuit also alleges that several dogs had burns on their skin from continual contact with urine and feces, had developed eye disease and body infections and were missing teeth from lack of dental care. Many dogs were malnourished, according to the suit.

Authorities have not filed any charges against Conyers.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund argued in filing the suit, however, that she shouldn't regain custody of the dogs and birds because her "callous and indifferent lack of consideration of the health and welfare of the animals in her ownership and possession" continues to pose a threat to the animals.

"Based on the advanced stage of disease in these animals, (Conyers) has also demonstrated an inability to care for any animals. The evidence of this long and broad history of abuse proves (she) should no longer be entitled to be in the possession of dogs," the suit states.

Wake County and animal cruelty investigator Dr. Kelli Ferris, a veterinarian with North Carolina State University, joined in the suit, seeking to recover the cost of caring for the animals seized from Conyers' home. A news release issued Wednesday by the Animal Legal Defense Fund estimated immediate veterinary expenses topping $70,000.

Share:
Add to del.icio.us del.icio.us    Add to Digg Digg    Add to Google Google    Add to Yahoo! Yahoo!    Add to facebookfacebook   Add to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon    Add to Reddit Reddit

76 Comments


Golo

Welcome to GOLO, where WRAL.com visitors can comment on stories and create profile pages, blogs and photo galleries.

You must be a registered WRAL.com user to use these tools. Click here to register or log in.

View Comments View Comments

Ask Anything
  1. Carl Harris
    10 questions with Durham Schools Superintendent

    Superintendent Carl Harris answers your questions about the school system.

  2. Debra Morgan
    10 questions with WRAL Anchor Debra Morgan

    WRAL Anchor Debra Morgan answers your questions about TV news.

  3. Harry Dolan, Raleigh police chief candidate
    10 questions with Raleigh Police Chief Harry Dolan

    Raleigh's police chief answers your questions about officers' pay, panhandlers, violent crime ...

Multimedia
  1. WRAL-TV 'live' on mobile phone.
    Capitol Broadcasting unveils live, mobile TV

    Almost 12 years to the day that WRAL-TV went “live” as the first commercial high-definition station in the nation, parent company Capitol…

  2. The Amistad Saga
    The Amistad Saga: Reflections

    The 1839 mutiny about the slaveship Amistad is re-created in this outdoor drama, featuring music, dance and speeches. "The Amistad Saga:…

  3. Grocery Cart Tracker Thumbnail (w/graph)
    Grocery Cart Tracker

    Worried about rising food prices? Use our interactive Grocery Cart Tracker to compare local prices on popular items.

  4. fuel tracker logo stacked
    Fuel Tracker: Find lowest gas prices

    Our Fuel Tracker can help you find the lowest prices by zip code or city. And sign up for e-mail alerts, too.

  5. What is salmonella?
    What is salmonella and how can it be avoided?

    What is salmonella and how can it be avoided?