Wake County Man Faces 90 Animal Cruelty Charges

A Wake County man found himself in court, facing a staggering 90 animal cruelty charges after over 200 animals were discovered in terrible conditions on his Garner farm property. Ronald Avery Kearney, 60, appeared in court on Monday afternoon, where he was informed that he could potentially face 39 months in prison for each felony animal cruelty count.

Kearney’s response to the charges was one of apparent disbelief, as he stated via video call from jail that he didn’t really know what he had done wrong. His request to lower his $90,000 bond was also made during the court appearance.

The horrifying incident came to light when the Wake County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Kearney, along with co-caretaker Mohamed Dweydari, 70, had been arrested and charged in connection with the case. The two men were entrusted with the care of a variety of animals, including sheep, cows, goats, mini horses, donkeys, fowl, and even a kitten, all residing on a property in the 7500 block of Trudy Lane.

The animals’ plight was discovered by Sheriff’s deputies and Wake County Animal Control officers, who were shocked to find that 90 of the animals had suffered from cruel treatment or neglect. Tragically, some of the animals had already succumbed to their dire conditions by the time authorities arrived at the scene.

Assistant District Attorney Christy Joyce revealed in court that Kearney had been identified as a “habitual felon” due to his past criminal record, which included several previous felony arrests over the past 25 years. Kearney had served a three-month prison sentence in 2010 for a felony conviction related to assault on a female, among other misdemeanors and felonies on his record.

The farm’s grim conditions led to the immediate euthanasia of at least three animals, according to arrest warrants. Thankfully, the surviving animals have been removed from the property and placed into rehabilitation facilities, providing them with a glimmer of hope for a better life ahead.

Ronald Kearney is set to make another appearance in Wake County court in October, where the legal system will continue to address the extensive list of animal cruelty charges against him.

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