More than 200 animals were rescued by the Spartanburg County Environmental Enforcement Department (SCEED) from two homes in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, the Daily Caller has learned.
A search warrant executed April 16 at a home on Brockman McClimon Road revealed 80 animals on the premises, SCEED Director Jamie Nelson told the Caller. He added that the department retrieved 66 dogs, 10 pigs, two donkeys, a goat and a sheep.
“Officers moved through the property and found a lot of dogs in small pens. A lot of pens had either brown or greenish water. A lot of the pens were covered with feces that the dogs were living in,” Nelson alleged.
225 animals, including pigs, donkeys, goat found at 2 Upstate homes; 4 charged, officials say https://t.co/lYILPDxQqi
— WYFF News 4 (@wyffnews4) May 10, 2024
Nine arrest warrants were issued for Tonji Lavonne Meredith for allegedly mistreating animals, with an additional two arrest warrants for alleged county code violations, according to WYFF. One arrest warrant was reportedly issued for John Richard Waldrop for allegedly mistreating animals. (RELATED: Operation Rescues Nearly 40 Dogs From ‘Pretty Horrific Conditions’ In North Carolina Home)
Nelson told the Caller that Meredith’s son had allegedly been running operations at the residence two years prior. He was charged but “disappeared,” only to be be apprehended in Georgia Thursday.
“We cannot prove that he [Meredith’s son] was involved [in the most recent case]. We’re probably certain that he had some ideas of what dogs were there, because a lot of the things that were there this time were there when he was there,” Nelson stated regarding the allegations.
One of the 47 dogs removed from the property was placed under rabies quarantine after allegedly biting an officer, Fox Carolina reported. The remaining dogs were reportedly sent to either Greenville County Animal Care or Anderson County PAWS for care.
Nelson alleged to the Caller that they discovered a cage reminiscent of a crate at the scene containing a Pomeranian so frail it required triage treatment by a veterinarian onsite. The Pomeranian was then taken to Upstate Vet Emergency Clinic, according to Fox Carolina.
A SCEED investigation into the Pomeranian’s original owner led officers to a breeding operation allegedly run at a home on Thompson Road, Nelson told the Caller. Patricia Mildean Johns and Wayne Edward Johns were alleged to be in charge of that operation, according to police, WYFF reported.
Patricia Mildean Johns and Wayne Edward Johns face counts of cruelty and have received summons under the county animal control ordinance focused on animal cruelty, officers said, Fox Carolina reported. Of the 135 dogs and 10 cats officers said they discovered on the property, 20 dogs were reportedly removed and a local rescue group took in the remaining 115 dogs.
“There were no deceased animals on site that we came across,” Neslon told the Caller.
The director compared the April 16 operation to others conducted by the department. “Anytime we do any kind of a hoarding-scenario or rescue that’s over 10 animals it becomes a large process for us … it takes all of our manpower to be at these locations — because you’re going to be there for a little while. I think this last time we were there probably four or five hours on site,” he said.