Judge orders pit bulls seized in Wilkes to euthanized

By Monte Mitchell | Journal Reporter

Published: February 16, 2009

WILKESBORO

A Superior Court judge this morning ordered that 127 pit bulls seized in a raid of a breeder of fighting dogs should be euthanized.
Judge Ed Wilson entered the order after hearing arguments from Wilkes County officials, from the prosecutor and from The Humane Society of the U.S. that the dogs are dangerous and would pose a risk if adopted into homes.

A number of animal lovers and animal advocacy groups have offered to adopt the dogs.

The dogs were seized Dec. 10, 2008, during a raid on Wildside Kennels in Wilkes County.

When Wildside Kennels owner Ed Faron failed to pay the county for the dogs' care after they were seized, a judge awarded ownership of the dogs to the county.

Faron, 61, pleaded guilty last week of 14 counts of felony dog fighting and was sentenced to 8 to 10 months in prison. His adopted son, Donni Juan Casanova, 18, pleaded guilty to one count of felony dog fighting and was given a suspended sentence of 6 to 8 months.

Amanda Grace Lunsford, 25, the third and final defendant in the case, pleaded guilty this morning to a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals. She is Casanova's fiancé and had been living at the house less than a month at the time of the raid, her attorney said, and her role was simply to feed and water the dogs.

Lunsford was sentenced to 45 days, which was suspended for 24 months of supervised probation.