Forsyth County residents charged with animal cruelty case after death of puppies

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - Forsyth County deputies have arrested six people in connection with an investigation into alleged animal cruelty involving the deaths of multiple puppies.

Officials say 28-year-old Emily Wilgus, 22-year-old Sheyanne Edwards, 28-year-old Lashia Samples, 24-year-old Hannah Glenn, 34-year-old Jonathan Jagneaux, and 18-year-old Kiara Wallis are in custody facing charges of cruelty to animals. All six people lived in a home on the 5600 block of Archer Avenue.

Deputies say Forsyth County Animal Services has been aware of the home since April 2023 when a puppy that had been sold from the house died from parvovirus, a highly contagious disease that is usually fatal in unvaccinated puppies. Animal Services ordered the residents not to adopt any other animals until all the animals in the home were treated for the virus, but officials say they ignored the instructions.

In December, deputies said two other puppies had to be euthanized due to the virus. A month later, two more puppies became sick - one of which had to be euthanized due to the severity of its illness. 

On Jan. 11, Animal Services employees visited the home and found a dead dog on the front porch that was believed to have died from the disease and seized another dog inside the home that was sick. They requested Forsyth County deputies to begin an investigation.

The next day, deputies obtained a search warrant for the home and found the building in "extreme filth and disarray," officials said.

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office describes the situation as being filled with trash, feces and urine. Dogs were reportedly paired together in cages and without water. In total, 12 dogs and two bearded dragons were seized during the search and sent to the Forsyth County Pet Resource Center for treatment.

After the search and seizure, deputies learned that Wilgus and Edwards adopted two puppies over the weekend through Facebook. 

"These individuals and the other residents in the home had been warned several times of the dangers of parvovirus. However, they continue to bring animals into the home. Knowing parvovirus to be dangerously contagious, the residents of the household maliciously and with intent, failed to provide sanitary conditions and medical treatment to the animals living within the residence to the extent it resulted in the death of five animals," a spokesperson for the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office wrote in a statement.  

All six residents are in custody at the Forsyth County Jail.

The two puppies were allegedly adopted over the weekend and another cat was taken by animal control.