There were wheaten terriers, West Highland white terriers, cairn terriers, maltese and toy poodles.
In June, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office raided Shady Lane Farm in Free Union, outside of Charlottesville, and seized 81 dogs – adults and puppies – authorities said were living in poor conditions at the suspected puppy mill.
“Eighty-one dogs is a huge seizure, especially for a county of our size,” Greene County Deputy Sheriff Jamie Akers said.
The seizure was so large the office called in reinforcements. A veterinarian was on site to examine each of the dogs, and several animal rescue organizations came to help place the dogs in foster homes before they would eventually be rehomed. Akers also turned to longtime colleague Maeve O’Neil, now a lieutenant with the University of Virginia Police Division.
Lt. O’Neil is stationed at UVA Health University Medical Center. She has worked in the University Police Division since 2022. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)
“She’s wonderful,” Akers said. “She used to be an animal control officer, so she is full of knowledge. I knew I had somebody that would work hard and help us.”
On June 10, O’Neil was on site when authorities executed a search warrant. “They needed all hands on deck,” she said humbly. “So our Chief (Tim) Longo was willing to agree to a mutual aid of allowing me to go there to help with the movement of animals from the conditions.”
O’Neil helped keep track of the dogs, held them as the veterinarian evaluated them and put them into crates to head to the rescue organizations assembled to receive them.
Akers estimates eight rescue organizations were involved, from areas in Central Virginia and beyond Richmond.
On Dec. 9, a Greene County grand jury indicted 67-year-old Nathan Yoder, 40-year-old Maynard Swarey and 33-year-old Luke Yoder, charging each with one count of felony animal cruelty and 24 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.
O’Neil said this is the largest seizure she’s worked on. “When I was (with) animal protection for Albemarle (County) there were severe cases, but the animal number was significantly smaller.”
‘Maeve is Amazing’
Kimberly Hawk, the president of Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge, a 100% foster-based nonprofit that rescues dogs from unsafe and inhuman conditions and places them in loving homes – and one of the rescue organizations that aided the Greene County dogs – said people like O’Neil are a lifeline for abused dogs in Virginia.
“Maeve is amazing,” she said. “She has a huge heart, and I know does an outstanding job with her profession. We were so grateful to her to foster for us.”
O’Neil said, “I had not planned on taking anything home because I had enough dogs, horses, chickens – you name it – because that’s easy to do, right?”
But one of the deputies pointed out some of the wheaten terrier puppies to O’Neil. “She said ‘This one would be perfect for you.’ It was a big male, probably about 7 or 8 weeks old. I said, ‘No, no, I can’t do this. This is a lot.’”
But the puppy eyes got to O’Neil and she brought the dog home. It wasn’t too long before she realized it would be easy to find a wonderful home for the terrier. So, she fostered him for a few months until he was placed.
