This is such a strange story. I’m just not sure what to make of it. A woman, Tamira Thayne, who had given her life to protecting and helping dogs is now wanted for animal cruelty. I’m going to keep an open mind till we find out more info. There something “not right” about this story.
Kenn Bell
Dog Files Creator
In May 2011, An animal rights group called ‘Dogs Deserve Better’ bought Michael Vick’s former Bad Newz Kennels dogfighting compound and turned it into a rehabilitation center for dogs who have been chained or penned. The founder of Dogs Deserve Better is now being sought on animal cruelty charges in Virginia.
According to Tracy Terry who is the Chief animal control officer for Surry county- Founder of the group, Tamira Thayne, is wanted for animal cruelty and inadequate care of animals. Terry said animal control officers began investigating the facility last month after receiving complaints that 10 dogs housed there were not receiving adequate care. She said she and a state veterinarian visited the site last month, and what they observed led to the issuance of the arrest warrant.
Thayne faces one count of inadequate care of animals and one count of animal cruelty,which are Class 4 misdemeanors in Virginia and each charge is subject to a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail.
Dogs Deserve Better has been seeking approval to be a shelter or rescue in the state of Virginia since 2011, and Terry has reported ‘Dogs Deserve Better would not be approved until some issues were rectified, and that ‘Thayne has been operating an illegal shelter as long as she has been in the state of Virginia.’
Dogs Deserve Better moved to Smithfield, Virginia from Pennsylvania to open the Good Newz Rehab Center for Chained and Penned Dogs in July 2011. According to the group’s website they were on a mission to transform the property and the house into a state-of-the-art facility, even adding a wing onto the home to create ‘doggie bedrooms.’
This is not the first time DDB has been in the news; Thayne was criticized last year for using donations to buy such an elaborate property and for allegedly cutting back veterinary services for rescue dogs according to a former employee, Giles County resident Shannon Allen. Thayne denied the allegations and offered her books up for public scrutiny.
Thayne has denied the charges. A now-deleted post on the Dogs Deserve Better Facebook page blamed the allegations on a group of people who are trying to shut down the rescue by making false claims to town officials.
Here’s some of what Dogs Deserve Better had to say on their facebook page:
“Tamira Thayne returned Monday, August 27th, 2012 from being out of the country in St. Lucia on her honeymoon to find out she was being charged with animal cruelty.
Ms. Thayne does have an attorney, and she has been instructed not to make any statements until things get sorted out.
What we are wondering is how this is even possible? DDB tries almost DAILY to get people charged for animal cruelty whose dogs live chained and half starved, and nothing is done. The people who left Doogie out on the chain to die, when Ms. Thayne was courageous enough to stand up for him and refuse to return him to the abusive situation, were never charged with cruelty. See the video of this dog (here)”:
The video above is part of the quote from Dogs Deserve Better. It features a dog that they saved, not the dog that was taken away.
DDB is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization who’s mission is dedicated to freeing the chained dog, and bringing dogs into the home and family. They go about accomplishing their mission to free dogs through humane education, rescue, rehabilitation, legislation, and fencing programs.
This is America, not Belfast, Innocent until proven Guilty is the way we roll.
I agree!
I think the charges are bull shit!
I’d like an update on this poor dog.If you are going to show us these heartbreaking videos of a dog suffering like that,PLEASE give us an update and let us know that the dog is safe.Standing there staring at a suffering dog with a video camera in your hand isn’t enough.This is heartbreaking!!
I will reserve my oppinions about the said abuser until I hear more about this story.But it sounds a littls shady to me.
I hope & Pray that “Doggie” was taken into a safe place and is being cared for!!!
This video was from 2006 I think. The dog was saved by them.
The dog was saved by Tamira & passed away a few months later from old age, but not before being restored to health. He lived his last few months protected & happy. He had severe arthritis. Tamira was charged with Theft & a host of other things, while the owner wasn’t charged at all. In fact- the Judge decided to make an example of Tamira for refusing to return the dog. The Judge refused to speak to the witness who called Tamira in tears for help or look at pictures, video or any other evidence that the dog had been abused. Seems to me like this County is still trying to extract revenge on Tamira for daring to defy them and put animals first!!! Sad-really Sad! I think she’s being set up, especially if you dig into the story about that dog that’s pictured at the bottom of the article. Tamira went to jail to save that animal!
well if the dog is sick and was left to die on a chain they should chain the owner up all day so they can feel the helplessness, its obvious there is something wrong , innocent till proven guilty my butt!!!!!.
The video is of a dog they saved years ago. Not a dog they have on their site now.
The dog was a dog they rescued years ago and saved.
Just shoot the bastards!! I am so sickened by the atrocities that are committed by “humans”. Any cruelty, torture, abuse should be dealt with SEVERLY. Maybe metting out the same crueily on the perpetrators (chains around the neck until they choke to death, etc., or maybe a public hanging or two) may make some wake the hell up.
Should we maybe find out the truth first? They have saved thousands of dogs in the past and their neighbors are know to not want them there. Let’s find out the facts first.
Guys, before you comment you should actually read the article. Kenn, my friend, I get it. I’ve seen what massive think can do to people. I’ve often thought how can anyone make a statement about something if they’ve not been there. Let’s find out the truth.
what happen to the dog ,please??????
As far as I know the dog is fine.
They rescued it and brought it back to health.
I don’t know about the comments below, but it seems pretty darn obvious that this dog has been mistreated, starved and abused. The poor thing can’t even get up. I sincerely hope that whoever is responsible for his condition is arrested, and that the dog gets the treatment he clearly needs. There is absolutely no reason for any animal to be treated this way.
Jan Flores
The video is of a dog they saved years ago. Not a dog they have on their site now.
That video is their groups video. They rescued that dog.
I am confused. This poor suffering dog is a dog being rescued by DDB?
It’s a video of a dog that they saved a few years ago.
Yes, it was rescued in 2006. It was at the end of their quote which I put at the end of the story. They do a lot of good. I think we need more info before we judge. Thanks, Barbara!
Excuse me, but this is a story about the Dogs Deserve Better leader being charged with animal cruelty. The video of Doogie is something DDB cited and circulated to prove their point that the dogs they rescued were treated criminally and yet their owners were never charged whereas the rescue’s leader was. I’m not minimizing Doogies suffering or his owners’ cruelty, but, again, this particular story is about the charges against DDB’s leader.
That said, I’m reserving judgment as to her guilt. It’s a murky situation. It sometimes happens that rescues, in their zeal to save as many dogs as possible, let their standards of care slip — sometimes to horrendous levels. On the other hand, it seems that animal control authorities do tend to look more closely at rescues than at individual owners in their choices of who to prosecute. My sparse contact with DDB and one of its founders left me with the impression that they are zealots, bordering on fanatics. But that’s all hearsay. I hope they get to the bottom of this soon.
The orginal owners of the dog doogies were NEVER charged, please read about him on the DDB website or facebook page. I have been following this group since they began and also have worked with “officials” in our own county and know that they are not always the best people for the job or have attitudes…. Give them some credit. At least they are getting up off the butts and doing something.. Are we?
I agree completely, Norma Jean!
First off, the dog seized from DDB was returned yesterday, as the judge found no evidence of cruelty to it or the other dogs at the facility. Secondly, Tami was charged with Class 3 misdemeanors (try a little research). The person who reported her, a disgruntled ex employee Deana Whitfield, a “witness for the prosecution” refused to show at the hearing. Class 3 misdemeanors do not have jail time attached to them. Fines only. Third, the photo of the dog you have lying near death is NOT the dog in question. That is a dog Tami was arrested for trying to save. The owner received no charges whatsoever. I suggest you do a bit of research before you slander someone.
That’s great to hear! I’m glad. Just as I said in the article. Let’s wait to see what the real truth is. I knew and said that something feels wrong here.
Secondly, nowhere do I say that the dog in the video is the dog taken away from them. I mentioned it was a dog they saved.
I am always on the dog rescuer’s side till I hear the whole story. But I still have to post the news and that was the news that day.
Thanks!