4 Swannanoa kennel employees arrested after dogs found starved

Four employees at a Swannanoa dog kennel were arrested after Buncombe County investigators said two dogs died and other animals were found starving at Inner Knowing Canine Connections, turning a local boarding business into a criminal case with serious fallout for pet owners who may have trusted it.

The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Animal Crimes Unit said its investigation began after reports concerning the kennel. Deputies said necropsy results showed both dogs had no food in their stomachs and were severely dehydrated, and one of the dogs had been dead for an extended period of time. Other animals at the facility were found malnourished and suffering severe weight loss.

Authorities identified the arrested employees as Tiffany Dawn Jourdain, Brianne Michelle Hunt, Diana Hope Hall and Lillian Nichole Sparks. WSPA reported the charges included alter, steal or destroy criminal evidence, conspiracy, animal cruelty, instigate cruelty to animals, killing an animal by starvation and multiple counts of cruelty to animals. 828newsNOW reported Jourdain and Sparks were booked on $25,000 bonds, while Hunt and Hall were booked on $5,000 bonds.

The case lands hard in Buncombe County because it is not just about cruelty, but about trust. Inner Knowing Canine Connections had presented itself online as a positive-reinforcement training business on an 8-acre property in Asheville, offering board-and-train services and a free meet-and-greet. The business website also said Tiffany Jourdain had been professionally training dogs since 2009. For families dropping off pets for care, the allegations raise immediate questions about how conditions were allowed to deteriorate and whether warning signs were missed.

Captain Dustan Auldredge said the Animal Crimes Unit is dedicated to thoroughly investigating neglect and cruelty cases and urged anyone with information to report it. Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office public information says the unit is responsible for safeguarding the health and well-being of community and domestic animals, and Asheville Humane Society says abuse or neglect in Buncombe County should be reported to the sheriff’s office.

For Buncombe County pet owners, the arrests are a reminder to look beyond a polished website before boarding a dog. Facility conditions, staffing, licensing and complaint histories matter, especially when a business is entrusted with an animal’s daily care.