Bertie County Woman Convicted of Cruelty After PETA Finds Decomposing Remains of Three Dogs

For Immediate Release:
June 4, 2026

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

Yesterday, Bertie County resident Tanakia Peele was convicted of one count of cruelty to animals and one count of abandonment of an animal in Bertie County District Court. Peele was charged after PETA fieldworkers discovered the emaciated, decomposing remains of three dogs—Juju, Drako, and Eve—on her property in November. She was sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation, with a ban on animal ownership for the term of her probation, and more than $600 in fees. The case for her daughter, Sha’Lexia Peele, has been continued, with a disposition hearing scheduled for July 1.

PETA’s fieldworkers had previously visited Peele’s property regularly to provide free doghouses, food, water buckets, and other essentials and had repeatedly begged Peele to let them take the dogs so that they could have the chance to find homes where they would be kept indoors and receive proper care. One of PETA’s fieldworkers had even gotten Peele’s permission last winter to take Juju—a tiny chihuahua mix—home with him during a cold snap to prevent the dog from succumbing to the harsh elements. Despite repeated pleas, Peele refused to surrender the dog permanently and insisted that Juju be returned, and the dog was chained back outside.

“Juju, Drako, and Eve lived in misery and died in agony because their owner condemned them to a wretched existence at the end of a chain,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “Countless other dogs are chained, neglected, and suffering right now in Bertie County, and PETA continues to call on county officials to ban 24/7 chaining before another dog dies on their watch.”

Every year, PETA’s fieldworkers visit thousands of neglected dogs—forgotten, ignored, often found without shade, drinkable water, or any other way to cool down (or stay warm and dry in winter). Dogs relegated to the outdoors are often deprived of veterinary care, exercise, companionship, or even a kind word and are kept confined to the same few square feet of space day in and day out. That’s why PETA urges everyone to keep dogs indoors and works with government officials to require adequate food, water, and veterinary care to prevent suffering.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.