Forsyth County animal cruelty case leads to six arrests, 12 dogs seized

A Forsyth County animal cruelty investigation that began with a dead puppy in April 2023 ended with 12 dogs and two bearded dragons seized from a home on Archer Avenue and six arrests tied to repeated warnings that investigators say were ignored. The case shows how an animal welfare complaint can escalate into a criminal matter when sick animals keep turning up and the conditions do not improve.

Animal Services first became involved with the residence at 5675 Archer Ave. after that initial puppy death, and county officials say the occupants were told not to adopt any more animals until the home and the other animals on the property were treated for parvovirus. That did not stop the problems. Two more puppies from the home were humanely euthanized in December 2023 because of the same disease, and in January 2024 two additional puppies were found sick with parvovirus, one of them euthanized and one taken to a veterinarian for treatment.

The case intensified on Jan. 11, 2024, when Forsyth County Animal Services asked the Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit for help. Investigators went to the property that day and found a dead dog on the front porch and another sick dog inside the home. A search warrant was executed the next day.

Inside, investigators described extreme filth and disarray, with trash, feces and urine throughout the residence. Dogs were reportedly kept two per cage without water because the home had no running water. By the end of the search, officers had seized 12 dogs and two bearded dragons, and the animals were taken to the Forsyth County Pet Resource Center, formerly the county animal shelter, for medical treatment and care.

Detectives later learned that Emily Wilgus and Sheyanne Edwards had adopted more animals through Facebook over the weekend despite repeated warnings about parvovirus. The sheriff’s office said the residents’ conduct resulted in the deaths of five animals. Arrest warrants were then issued for Wilgus, Edwards, Lashia Samples, Hannah Glenn, Jonathan Jagneaux and Kiara Wallis on charges including aggravated cruelty to animals and cruelty to animals.

For Forsyth County residents, the case is a reminder that cruelty complaints do not always stay with animal control alone. Georgia law requires humane care, including adequate heat, ventilation, sanitary shelter, food and water, and local agencies can bring in law enforcement when conditions worsen or public health concerns emerge. Forsyth County also said in 2025 that the Sheriff’s Office would manage animal control and the Pet Adoption & Resource Center under a memorandum of understanding, a sign that animal enforcement in the county is now closely tied to criminal investigation and jail-level accountability.