Stop inhumane conditions at Tonya's Tiny Companions with a warrant to remove animals.
The Issue
At the end of July 2016, three witnesses, visited the property of where Tonya's Tiny Companions was located in Dublin, GA. Tonya Lewis is the owner/operator of Tonya’s Tiny Companions, a dog breeder licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
The conditions of the animals on the property left these witnesses horrified. They witnessed over one hundred dogs and puppies on the property, many shoved into small crates and bins with barely enough room to turn around. Most of the dogs were severely matted to the point where they could not be identified by breed. Dogs and puppies were living in their own feces and urine. Not all of the animals had shelter from the elements, adequate food or water. The breeding dogs lived their lives in a dark room/barn with little ventilation. The dogs were all in visible distress and many of them were clearly in need of serious veterinarian treatment. The witnesses took as many photographs and videos of the conditions as possible.
They immediately contacted the Georgia Department of Agriculture. They agreed that they would not post the photographs and video on social media until the Georgia Department of Agriculture had a chance to investigate.
According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, an inspection of the property was completed days later but the Georgia Department of Agriculture refused to take any action and allowed her to continue selling and breeding. The Georgia Department of Agriculture has represented that they have made repeated visits to the property since that initial inspection. Although the Georgia Department of Agriculture investigation into Tonya's Tiny Companions remains open, no action has been taken by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, except to allow her to clean up the conditions it appears.
After about a month of waiting for action to be taken, they decided it was time to post the videos and photographs to Facebook. The witnesses hoped that by posting the evidence, they would find someone who could investigate Tonya’s Tiny Companions and help the animals on the property.
After the evidence was posted, one of the witnesses was put in touch with Attorney Tamara Feliciano. Ms. Feliciano is the Vice President of Legal Affairs for the National Puppy Mill Project and volunteered to assist them pro bono. Ms. Feliciano immediately contacted the Lauren’s County Sheriff’s Department on the witness's behalf. Ms. Feliciano accompanied the witness to the Lauren’s County Sheriff’s Department where a police report was filed. However, the Sheriff’s department refused to get involved or investigate. According to the Sheriff’s department, this was an animal control issue.
Since the Sheriff’s department refused to investigate, Ms. Feliciano and the witness went to Lauren’s County Magistrate Court and applied for a criminal arrest warrant against the owner of Tonya's Tiny Companions on August 18, 2016. A criminal arrest warrant can be applied for by a private citizen against another private citizen when a crime is believed to have been committed. The criminal arrest warrant application process is most commonly used when someone believes another person has committed a theft or drug offense. It has never been used in Georgia to charge someone with animal cruelty. Without law enforcement support, the witness and Ms. Feliciano knew it would be an uphill battle but applied for the warrant anyway. The hope being that a neutral magistrate would actually hear the evidence and the witness testimony and find probable cause to charge the owner of Tonya's Tiny Companions with animal cruelty.
After the arrest warrant was applied for they took the evidence to Lauren’s County Animal Control and shared it with the Director of Animal Control. Ms. Feliciano and the witness were told that animal control visited the property with the GDOA and that they would not be taking action against the owner.
On August 31, 2016 a probable cause hearing on the witnesses application for Criminal Arrest was held before Judge Bobbitt at the Lauren’s Magistrate Court. Ms. Feliciano presented the evidence and over 8 witnesses testified to the conditions of the dogs and puppies on property. The Court, after hearing the evidence, charged Ms. Tonya Lewis with over 20 counts of animal cruelty. The case will be sent to the district attorney for prosecution of the charges.
Ms. Lewis was incarcerated and bonded out the following morning. Although the Lauren’s County Sheriff’s Department, Animal Control and the Georgia Department of Agriculture all have the authority to impound the animals they simply refuse to do so. Ms. Feliciano continues to follow up with these agencies to encourage them to do so, to no avail.
In between the time the witnesses contacted the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the time while they filed the application, Poodles and Pooches rescue worked with Tonya Lewis to rescue over 20 dogs from the property. Most of these dogs were rescued just days after the Georgia Department of Agriculture inspected the property and found nothing wrong.
These dogs were immediately vetted. Most of them needed treatment of heart worm and ear mites. One dog was so severely matted he had sores on his skin. Others needed surgery. Including one chihuahua who had what appeared to be a visibly broken jaw. This dog had been used repeatedly for breeding. The dogs jaw is deteriorating and its mouth is rotten.
These dogs were on the property when the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Lauren’s County Animal Control allegedly inspected the property. A representative from Poodles and Pooches Rescue testified in the presence of representatives from all three agencies. To date, not a single one of these agencies will exercise their authority to impound the over 90+ animals that suffer daily still.
Ms. Feliciano was forced to apply for a criminal arrest warrant on behalf of the witness because law enforcement refused to investigate their complaints. This case illustrates the power of the witness of puppy mill cruelty and the need for attorney’s who are willing to assist these witnesses. While private citizen criminal arrest applications have never been used in Georgia to help prosecute animal cruelty, this case reminds us that animal cruelty is a crime like any other crime and should be treated as such.
At this time a ruling from the court has stated that in order to remove the animals from the property a warrant must be filed by one of the following agencies, Georgia Department of Agriculture, Lauren County Animal Control, Lauren County Sheriff or the Lauren County District Attorney.
Since it appears at this time that all of the aforementioned agencies, except the DA, have refused to take action we are now asking the District Attorney to file for the warrant so that the evidence can be obtained to press further charges against Mrs. Lewis if needed and to allow rescue of all animals on the property. The necessary plans for the rescue operation in cooperation with the ASPCA and Cherokee County Humane Society have already been obtained for this situation. Only the warrant is needed to obtain rescue and save these animals and get them the life they deserve.
Please help these animals and be a hero!
The Issue
At the end of July 2016, three witnesses, visited the property of where Tonya's Tiny Companions was located in Dublin, GA. Tonya Lewis is the owner/operator of Tonya’s Tiny Companions, a dog breeder licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
The conditions of the animals on the property left these witnesses horrified. They witnessed over one hundred dogs and puppies on the property, many shoved into small crates and bins with barely enough room to turn around. Most of the dogs were severely matted to the point where they could not be identified by breed. Dogs and puppies were living in their own feces and urine. Not all of the animals had shelter from the elements, adequate food or water. The breeding dogs lived their lives in a dark room/barn with little ventilation. The dogs were all in visible distress and many of them were clearly in need of serious veterinarian treatment. The witnesses took as many photographs and videos of the conditions as possible.
They immediately contacted the Georgia Department of Agriculture. They agreed that they would not post the photographs and video on social media until the Georgia Department of Agriculture had a chance to investigate.
According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, an inspection of the property was completed days later but the Georgia Department of Agriculture refused to take any action and allowed her to continue selling and breeding. The Georgia Department of Agriculture has represented that they have made repeated visits to the property since that initial inspection. Although the Georgia Department of Agriculture investigation into Tonya's Tiny Companions remains open, no action has been taken by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, except to allow her to clean up the conditions it appears.
After about a month of waiting for action to be taken, they decided it was time to post the videos and photographs to Facebook. The witnesses hoped that by posting the evidence, they would find someone who could investigate Tonya’s Tiny Companions and help the animals on the property.
After the evidence was posted, one of the witnesses was put in touch with Attorney Tamara Feliciano. Ms. Feliciano is the Vice President of Legal Affairs for the National Puppy Mill Project and volunteered to assist them pro bono. Ms. Feliciano immediately contacted the Lauren’s County Sheriff’s Department on the witness's behalf. Ms. Feliciano accompanied the witness to the Lauren’s County Sheriff’s Department where a police report was filed. However, the Sheriff’s department refused to get involved or investigate. According to the Sheriff’s department, this was an animal control issue.
Since the Sheriff’s department refused to investigate, Ms. Feliciano and the witness went to Lauren’s County Magistrate Court and applied for a criminal arrest warrant against the owner of Tonya's Tiny Companions on August 18, 2016. A criminal arrest warrant can be applied for by a private citizen against another private citizen when a crime is believed to have been committed. The criminal arrest warrant application process is most commonly used when someone believes another person has committed a theft or drug offense. It has never been used in Georgia to charge someone with animal cruelty. Without law enforcement support, the witness and Ms. Feliciano knew it would be an uphill battle but applied for the warrant anyway. The hope being that a neutral magistrate would actually hear the evidence and the witness testimony and find probable cause to charge the owner of Tonya's Tiny Companions with animal cruelty.
After the arrest warrant was applied for they took the evidence to Lauren’s County Animal Control and shared it with the Director of Animal Control. Ms. Feliciano and the witness were told that animal control visited the property with the GDOA and that they would not be taking action against the owner.
On August 31, 2016 a probable cause hearing on the witnesses application for Criminal Arrest was held before Judge Bobbitt at the Lauren’s Magistrate Court. Ms. Feliciano presented the evidence and over 8 witnesses testified to the conditions of the dogs and puppies on property. The Court, after hearing the evidence, charged Ms. Tonya Lewis with over 20 counts of animal cruelty. The case will be sent to the district attorney for prosecution of the charges.
Ms. Lewis was incarcerated and bonded out the following morning. Although the Lauren’s County Sheriff’s Department, Animal Control and the Georgia Department of Agriculture all have the authority to impound the animals they simply refuse to do so. Ms. Feliciano continues to follow up with these agencies to encourage them to do so, to no avail.
In between the time the witnesses contacted the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the time while they filed the application, Poodles and Pooches rescue worked with Tonya Lewis to rescue over 20 dogs from the property. Most of these dogs were rescued just days after the Georgia Department of Agriculture inspected the property and found nothing wrong.
These dogs were immediately vetted. Most of them needed treatment of heart worm and ear mites. One dog was so severely matted he had sores on his skin. Others needed surgery. Including one chihuahua who had what appeared to be a visibly broken jaw. This dog had been used repeatedly for breeding. The dogs jaw is deteriorating and its mouth is rotten.
These dogs were on the property when the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Lauren’s County Animal Control allegedly inspected the property. A representative from Poodles and Pooches Rescue testified in the presence of representatives from all three agencies. To date, not a single one of these agencies will exercise their authority to impound the over 90+ animals that suffer daily still.
Ms. Feliciano was forced to apply for a criminal arrest warrant on behalf of the witness because law enforcement refused to investigate their complaints. This case illustrates the power of the witness of puppy mill cruelty and the need for attorney’s who are willing to assist these witnesses. While private citizen criminal arrest applications have never been used in Georgia to help prosecute animal cruelty, this case reminds us that animal cruelty is a crime like any other crime and should be treated as such.
At this time a ruling from the court has stated that in order to remove the animals from the property a warrant must be filed by one of the following agencies, Georgia Department of Agriculture, Lauren County Animal Control, Lauren County Sheriff or the Lauren County District Attorney.
Since it appears at this time that all of the aforementioned agencies, except the DA, have refused to take action we are now asking the District Attorney to file for the warrant so that the evidence can be obtained to press further charges against Mrs. Lewis if needed and to allow rescue of all animals on the property. The necessary plans for the rescue operation in cooperation with the ASPCA and Cherokee County Humane Society have already been obtained for this situation. Only the warrant is needed to obtain rescue and save these animals and get them the life they deserve.
Please help these animals and be a hero!
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on October 9, 2016