News

Wilkes begins to put down pitbulls seized from breeder

By Monte Mitchell | Journal Reporter

Published: February 17, 2009

WILKESBORO
Wilkes County Animal Control began this morning to euthanize more than 127 pit bulls associated with Wildside Kennels, an operation that bred fighting dogs, according to county officials. The county was carrying out a judge's order from Monday.
The dogs were seized Dec. 10, 2008, in a raid on the kennel and had been held as evidence in a case against kennel owner Ed Faron and two associates. Faron was sentenced last Thursday to 8 to 10 months in prison for 14 felony counts of dog fighting. The last of the three defendants was sentenced Monday and the dogs were ordered destroyed.
According to the judge's ruling, state law defines dogs as dangerous if they are involved in a dog fighting operation and a county ordinance requires that dangerous dogs be destroyed.
The dogs should all be euthanized by the end of today, county officials said. The exact number of dogs is still unclear because several litters of puppies had been born since the raid.
The raid was the result of a 3-year investigation by The Humane Society of the U.S., in cooperation with Wilkes County Animal Control and the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office.