FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. — Two people are facing animal cruelty charges after three bearded dragons were found in a storage unit.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said employees with the storage facility discovered the bearded dragons without toes in one of the units. They said one of the dragons died during transport. The two others are alive and are now receiving care and treatment.
The employees found the dragons while locking out a unit for the failure of payment. The last time the unit was used was in November.
Animal Services contacted a local reptile expert for assistance. The two dragons have other health conditions as a result of being kept in an environment uninhabitable for their species. A veterinary diagnostic laboratory said the likely cause of death for the one dragon was due to malnutrition or starvation.
Jamie Lee Sartin, 24, of Winston-Salem and Taylor Brianne Moore, 25, of Advance is charged with Cruelty to Animals, and for abandoning animals. They’ll appear in court on Feb. 18.
Anyone with information related to animal cruelty – or any other criminal activity – should contact the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office directly at 336-727-2112; anonymously text information, photos, and video via Text-A-Tip at 336-920-8477; or anonymously call Crimestoppers at 336-727-2800 for English or 336-728-3904 for Spanish.
