Recent Puppy Mill Busts
Ever wonder why there aren't more of these in Pennsylvania... ?
SPCA raids 'horrific' Lehigh County kennel
Philadelphia Inquirer, October 2, 2008
By AMY WORDEN, Inquirer Staff Writer
EMMAUS, Pa. - SPCA agents raided a Lehigh County dog kennel yesterday afternoon and found hundreds of animals, from hamsters to horses, crammed in every corner of the dilapidated property.
Twenty agents with the Pennsylvania SPCA entered Almost Heaven Kennel near Allentown after a two-month undercover investigation revealed the owner was selling sick dogs, SPCA officials said.
What they found was a zoo of horrors: monkeys, miniature horses, swans, turkeys, a pig, and an estimated 700 dogs and several dozen cats living in squalor.
Agents estimated that there were 800 to 1,000 animals, making the raid almost certainly the largest in state history.
"It's horrific," said Angela Messer, a veterinary technician with the Pennsylvania SPCA. "The numbers are astronomical. It's a sin this was allowed to continue on this way."
The stench of ammonia and feces drifted onto a busy highway alongside the property: a patchwork of unkempt houses and broken-down outbuildings, some with gaping holes in the roof. A sign on the road advertised pet grooming, boarding and breeding.
Agents said that dead guinea pigs had littered the ground between the outbuildings, and that they had found 65 animal carcasses in a freezer. Small dogs were crowded shoulder to shoulder in double-deck kennels, and larger breeds, including Great Danes and St. Bernards, were housed four to six in an outdoor pen. Inside one house were dozens of dogs, cats, parrots, chickens and hamsters, some roaming wild and others stacked in cages stuffed in every room, agents said.
Most had no food or water and were covered in their feces, according to the agents.
Kennel owner Derbe Eckhart faces 500 counts of animal cruelty and fines of up to $2,500 per violation on allegations he failed to provide sanitary housing and denied animals veterinary care, said Elaine Skypala, chief program officer for the Pennsylvania SPCA.
"Every place he was keeping animals was unsanitary," she said, adding that the SPCA would seek to shut down the kennel.
Agents were negotiating the fate of the animals last night with the owner, but said they would remove at least 56 dogs and cats that needed immediate medical care for respiratory illnesses, skin conditions and severe wounds.
Eckhart, who answered his phone during the raid, told a reporter that he was "not talking to anyone," and referred calls to his lawyer. Eckhart's attorney, Jason Berger of Philadelphia, did not return a call seeking comment.
SPCA vets gave intravenous fluids to six severely ill animals at the site, including a dehydrated guinea pig and two dying puppies. They could save only one of the days-old puppies.
Agents said they would remain on the property overnight, if necessary, to protect the animals.
In August, the kennel, which is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, had 508 dogs at the property on Chestnut Street, state records show.
State dog wardens also were on the scene yesterday, but officials said there would be no immediate action regarding Eckhart's kennel license. The kennel received a clean inspection report in August.
"There is no final determination on our actions," said Chris Ryder, an Agriculture Department spokesman. "He was given a license in 1999, but those records no longer exist. Since this administration came in in 2003, he had a kennel license in good standing and no violations to warrant revocation."
Pennsylvania SPCA agents said they believed many of the poor conditions - the mounds of feces and drains clogged with excrement - had existed at the time of the last inspection.
Eckhart has had run-ins with state and local authorities dating back 20 years, and has been convicted at least twice of animal cruelty, according to published reports.
Area rescuers said they were familiar with Eckhart, alleging that he had often dumped sick and injured dogs on them.
"Rescuers call the place 'Almost Hell,' " said Bill Smith, founder of Main Line Animal Rescue in Chester Springs. Several years ago, Smith said, he helped save a boxer with a broken back and has picked up several starving standard poodles that he said Eckhart could no longer breed.
Contact staff writer Amy Worden at 717-783-2584 or aworden@phillynews.com
On the web: http://tinyurl.com/44rgjj (pictures)
Animal agents searching Upper Milford kennel on suspicion of cruelty
4:06 PM EDT, October 1, 2008
Enforcement agents from the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are searching a local kennel after receiving complaints about the health of animals raised there.
Around 20 agents raided Almost Heaven Kennels, 4202 Chestnut St., Upper Milford Township, around 1:15 p.m. today.
"It's horrible in there," said Elaine Skypala, chief program officer for the society.
She said once officials from the state Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement arrive, they "will be able to shut them down immediately." Dogs and cats in stacked cages were found with eye and respiratory problems. Drains were clogged with feces, she said.
Investigators found dead guinea pigs, some with decaying carcasses, said SPCA veterinarian Kimberly Russell and veterinary technician Angela Messer. They found as many as 1,000 animals in all, including birds, pigs, horses, turkeys, swans and guinea hens.
They said many of the dogs were matted with feces. Some lactating dogs were without their puppies, they said.
Skypala said a warrant to search the kennel was signed after an undercover investigation allegedly found evidence suggesting mistreatment.
"We've had complaints for years and recently it's escalated," she said.
Some of the enforcement agents, who included a forensic veterinarian, were wearing bulletproof vests. "We've had people pull guns on our agents in these situations," Skypala said.
The society's humane officers enforce cruelty statutes. The Dog Law Bureau enforces kennel regulations and the state dog law.
Almost Heaven is operated by Derbe "Skip" Eckhart. The kennel holds the largest license issued by the bureau, allowing it to have hundreds of dogs each year. According to an August inspection report, Almost Heaven had 500 dogs on the premises in the preceding 12 months, but the report listed no violations of kennel regulations.
A crew from the cable television network Animal Planet was on hand to document the raid.
Skypala said officials want Eckhart to sign over the ownership of the animals in the kennel so they can be treated and eventually adopted. "Our hope is he will cooperate with us, knowing what we can do fine-wise and arrest-wise," Skypala said.
Eckhart has run into legal trouble with charges of animal cruelty going back to 1988. He also was suspended from the American Kennel Club for deceiving club officials and claiming he was selling purebred dogs.
A woman who said she was a dog grooming client at Almost Heaven defended Eckhart and his business. "This man tries to be good and people are trying to take his livelihood away from him," said Millie Altomare of Allentown.
She said she's been in the kennel and said it is clean. "He does a beautiful job grooming dogs," she said.
-- Reporting by Dan Sheehan, The Morning Call
Copyright © 2008, The Morning Call
State SPCA raids large PA puppy mill
October 1, 2008
http://tinyurl.com/4odgvy - See 4 Pictures
By Amy Worden
INQUIRER HARRISBURG BUREAU
EMMAUS, Pa. -- Agents with the Pennsylvania SPCA entered a Lehigh County dog kennel shortly after 1:30 p.m. in what some believe could be the largest puppy mill raid ever in the state.
Agents were executing search warrants at the Almost Heaven Kennel in Emmaus, near Allentown, this afternoon after a two month undercover investigation reportedly showed inhumane treatment there.
The kennel specializes in breeding poodles and Labrador retrievers. In August, the business had 508 dogs at the property on Chestnut Street, state records show.
The owner of the kennel, Derbe Eckhart, has a long history of run ins with state and local authorities and has been convicted at least twice of animal cruelty.
"Early reports show that conditions are horrendous," said Howard Nelson, president of the Pennsylvania SPCA moments after agents entered the property.
Agents, he said, were reporting filthy living conditions and that they witnessed several dying puppies and dogs with bad skin conditions.
Animal agents searching Upper Milford kennel on suspicion of cruelty
October 1, 2008, 4:06 PM
by Dan Sheehan, The Morning Call
http://tinyurl.com/4v65et
Emmaus, PA - Enforcement agents from the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are searching a local kennel after receiving complaints about the health of animals raised there.
Around 20 agents raided Almost Heaven Kennels, 4202 Chestnut St., Upper Milford Township, around 1:15 p.m. today.
"It's horrible in there," said Elaine Skypala, chief program officer for the society.
She said once officials from the state Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement arrive, they "will be able to shut them down immediately." Dogs and cats in stacked cages were found with eye and respiratory problems. Drains were clogged with feces, she said.
Investigators found dead guinea pigs, some with decaying carcasses, said SPCA veterinarian Kimberly Russell and veterinary technician Angela Messer. They found as many as 1,000 animals in all, including birds, pigs, horses, turkeys, swans and guinea hens.
They said many of the dogs were matted with feces. Some lactating dogs were without their puppies, they said.
Skypala said a warrant to search the kennel was signed after an undercover investigation allegedly found evidence suggesting mistreatment.
"We've had complaints for years and recently it's escalated," she said.
Some of the enforcement agents, who included a forensic veterinarian, were wearing bulletproof vests. "We've had people pull guns on our agents in these situations," Skypala said.
The society's humane officers enforce cruelty statutes. The Dog Law Bureau enforces kennel regulations and the state dog law.
Almost Heaven is operated by Derbe "Skip" Eckhart. The kennel holds the largest license issued by the bureau, allowing it to have hundreds of dogs each year. According to an August inspection report, Almost Heaven had 500 dogs on the premises in the preceding 12 months, but the report listed no violations of kennel regulations.
A crew from the cable television network Animal Planet was on hand to document the raid.
Skypala said officials want Eckhart to sign over the ownership of the animals in the kennel so they can be treated and eventually adopted. "Our hope is he will cooperate with us, knowing what we can do fine-wise and arrest-wise," Skypala said.
Eckhart has run into legal trouble with charges of animal cruelty going back to 1988. He also was suspended from the American Kennel Club for deceiving club officials and claiming he was selling purebred dogs.
A woman who said she was a dog grooming client at Almost Heaven defended Eckhart and his business. "This man tries to be good and people are trying to take his livelihood away from him," said Millie Altomare of Allentown.
She said she's been in the kennel and said it is clean. "He does a beautiful job grooming dogs," she said.
Record-Breaking Puppy Mill Raid Reported In Lehigh County
Raid Occurs At Almost Heaven Kennel In Emmaus
Wednesday, 01 Oct 2008, 5:55 PM EDT
WTXF-TV Fox 29 News
http://tinyurl.com/3wpv7n
EMMAUS, Pa. - State animal control officers said Wednesday they're in the middle of a puppy mill raid in Lehigh County that may be the largest in Pennsylvania's history.
The raid was ongoing Wednesday night at the Almost Heaven Kennel in Emmaus, just south of Allentown.
Fox 29's Sharon Crowley reported from the scene that mostly dogs are on the property of the breeder, which has been around for nearly 20 years. But there are also monkeys, horses and other kinds of animals on the grounds.
Fox 29 News has learned that one of the three property owners has been in trouble with the humane society before, having been arrested twice on animal cruelty charges.
Animal control officers said they were executing search warrants after an undercover investigation on the property
Some 800 animals were found living in over-crowded, unsanitary conditions, according to state officials.
"Were you running a puppy mill here?" Crowley asked one man, who identified himself as a property owner there.
"No," the man answered, picking up a camera tripod and moving it. "You have to leave right now."
Asked what was going on, the man said, "There is nothing going on here. There's nothing going on here."
The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the property owners will be facing animal cruelty charges.
The SPCA said it was acting on a tip when the undercover investigation began, and they later purchased sick puppies from the breeder before they were able to get a search warrant from a judge.
About 100 animals, which are the sickest of those that are on the property, will be removed from the grounds Wednesday night and taken to shelters around the state for care, Crowley reported.
The SPCA said it didn't have capacity to take 800 animals.
Officials weren't yet saying whether the kennel will be allowed to remain open. The state dog warden, who has the capacity to make that decision, was at the site Wednesday and investigating.
Stay tuned to Fox 29 News and more details on MyFoxPhilly.com for more on this developing story.
Humane Society officers raid Maxatawny Township kennel, seize dogs
9/3/2008 10:38:00 AM - Berks County, PA - Berks County Humane Society officers seized eight dogs in a raid on a Maxatawny Township breeding operation this morning after a state dog warden reported finding a variety of health problems there due to a lack of veterinary care.
Karel I. Minor, Humane Society executive director, said the state Dog Law enforcement agency organization served a search warrant shortly after 6 at the Burkholder Farm Kennel, 460 Bowers Road. District Judge Gail M. Greth, Fleetwood, signed the warrant.
The dogs that were seized were among a total of 111 and were deemed to have immediate health concerns, such as open sores, Minor said.
The dogs were taken to the Humane Society shelter on North 11th Street, where they will be given medical care, Minor said.
Minor said the owner, Aaron Burkholder, initially refused to allowed the inspection. He later cooperated with the investigation, according to Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Chief Michael P. Weiser.
It marks the second time in less than six weeks that inspectors have found signs of neglect at a Maxatawny Township kennel.
On July 24, the owners of two kennels on adjoining farms in the township shot and killed 80 dogs and surrendered their licenses rather than fix the problems noted by a state dog warden after a routine inspection.
Elmer H. Zimmerman shot 70 dogs and his brother, Ammon H. Jr., who operated a kennel next door, shot 10, officials said.
Wardens had ordered 39 dogs checked for flea and fly bites and had issued citations for extreme heat, insufficient bedding and floors that the dogs’ feet could fall through.
Current state law does not bar kennel owners from euthanizing their dogs with firearms, even if the dogs are healthy. Gov. Ed Rendell has urged passage of a state House bill that would allow only veterinarians to euthanize dogs in commercial breeding kennels.
Minor said a Humane Society officer remains at the Burkholder farm to assure nothing happens to the dogs while the court order is pending, Minor said.
http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=104525
1,000 Freed from West Virginia Puppy Mill
August 24, 2008 - Yesterday morning in Parkersburg, W.Va., a cycle of animal abuse that lasted nearly two decades was finally broken. Local authorities raided the Whispering Oaks Kennel and found one of the most prolific puppy mills in the state's history.
By the end of the day nearly 1,000 neglected and abused dogs were freed from the horrendous industry that traps hundreds of thousands of dogs in a dismal cycle of suffering.
The Humane Society of the United States was there from the beginning, acting as the lead animal welfare organization for this mercy mission.
Cruelty Downstream
Local authorities had received complaints that the property owner was discharging pollution without a permit. When they arrived on the scene to investigate the claims, they found a grossly overrun breeding facility wrought with obvious animal neglect.
Once on site, the officials convinced the property owner to relinquish ownership of all 1,000 dogs at the facility. The owner also signed a document barring her from ever operating another breeding facility.
The HSUS had earlier been called by the Humane Society of Parkersburg.
The HSUS was appointed lead animal welfare agency on this case and had spent weeks preparing for for the complexities of caring for what was expected to be—and indeed became—a heart-breaking number of animals.
They were mostly dachshunds, but many Yorkies, King Charles Cavaliers, Poodles and Jack Russels bred on the facility.
Breeding dogs were housed in small rabbit hutches throughout the property—many with no access to water in the potentially deadly 95-degree heat.
Joint Effort
With the help of United Animal Nations, Best Friends Animal Society and the Humane Society of Missouri, we followed law enforcement onto the property. Together, we set up an emergency shelter and begin to rescue the dogs from the squalid cages where they would've spent their entire lives.
Fragile young puppies and mothers were the first receive veterinary care and the safety of the shelter.
The rest of the dogs will be removed over the next few days.
From the shelter, the dogs will be transported to humane organizations across the nation where they will be evaluated and put up for adoption.
While the condition of the animals wasn't the very worst our team has witnessed in such raids, one person simply cannot properly care for 1,000 animals. More than that, one person should not.
Puppy mills are a source of unbearable cruelty with breeding animals kept in tiny, exposed cages without any socialization, for the sole purpose of supplying pet stores and the internet market with puppies—and of course, providing a stream of ill-gotten profits to their operators.
They also contribute to tragic pet overpopulation.
Brighter Days
As a nation we cherish dogs as beloved family pets, but these breeding dogs spent years churning out puppies for profit.
Like all victims of the puppy mill industry, these dogs had never left their dank cages or feel the warm touch of a loving human hand.
But today they leave behind the abuses of their former lives to begin a new chapter. Their lives began in sadness and cruelty, but these once-neglected dogs now have the chance for far better—to be part of loving families.
Make It Public
We urge everyone who cares about animals to spread the word about the great suffering associated with puppy mills.
People in the market for a companion animal should consider rescuing a homeless pet from a shelter or breed rescue organization—or at least to know the breeder and inspect the facility beforehand.
Click to read original article and view video.
Learn more about responsible adopting here.
PSPCA Official Calls for Speedier Prosecution of Kennel Operator
By: Nancy Peterson, Philadelphia Inquirer
07/21/08 - When George Bengal of the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals led a raid on a Chester County kennel last Thursday, he fully expected the owner to spend the night in jail.
Didn't happen.
The owner, John Blank, 54, of Cochranville, was released by Pennsylvania State Police, who figured the Amish farmer was unlikely to jump into his buggy and flee.
When Bengal, director of investigations for the PSPCA, drove to Oxford later that night to file charges of animal cruelty, he found that the district court was closed.
He couldn't file charges the next day, either. The magisterial district judge, Henry A. Farmer Jr., was out of the office.
Yesterday, he tried again, only to learn that the three misdemeanor counts were written on a form that was no longer valid. Farmer said they would have to be filed on a new form before he would accept them.
'I've never seen anything like this,' said Bengal . 'If this had been in Philadelphia , he [Blank] would have been booked immediately.'
PSPCA officials hope to file charges today.
In addition to the three misdemeanor counts, Blank also faces 23 summary counts that include charges such as improper veterinary care. He could not be reached for comment.
Blank's troubles started when Bill Smith of Main Line Animal Rescue spied a small ad in a Lancaster paper for free breeder dogs. Volunteers went to pick up the dogs, he said, and found them to be in bad shape.
A puppy that PSPCA undercover investigator Ashley Mutch bought a week later from Blank was sickly and died 24 hours later, she said.
Officials then obtained a warrant to search Blank's kennels. The raid was filmed by crews from the reality show Animal Cops: Philadelphia .
Chesco farmer charged with animal cruelty
By Nancy Petersen
Inquirer Staff Writer
Fri, Jul. 18, 2008
- A Chester County Amish farmer was arrested last night during a raid on his farm and charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty.
John Blank of Cochranville, owner of Limestone Kennels, was taken into custody by Pennsylvania State Police shortly after 5 p.m. when agents from the Pennsylvania SPCA descended on his farm.
In front of his crying children, he was handcuffed and placed in the back of the police cruiser. After it was determined that he wasn't a flight risk, he was allowed to spend the night on his farm.
Warrants issued earlier in the day charged Blank, 54, with three misdemeanor counts and 10 summary counts of animal cruelty.
By the time the raid ended after about 31/2 hours, 21 summary counts of neglect and lack of veterinary care had been filed against Blank, said PSPCA program officer Elaine Scapalla.
The entire event was filmed by crews from the reality show Animal Cops, which is trailing the PSPCA during the next several weeks.
Of the 100-plus dogs found on the farm, 21 dogs - five or six adults and the rest puppies - were taken to the agency's Philadelphia shelter, Scapalla said.
"All were crowded in cages, their nails were curled under, and two had embedded collars," she said. Some had conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the eye; others had untreated abscesses, she said.
Reporters were not allowed on Blank's property and were unable to reach him for comment yesterday.
The so-called puppy mill Blank operated at his 73-acre farm along Route 10 was not visible from the highway. Instead, a sign advertising brown eggs and cut flowers greeted motorists zipping along the busy road.
The farm, immaculate with carefully tended fields of corn and tobacco, and a large garden in front of the farmhouse, differed little from other farms in the fertile Octorara watershed.
Yesterday's raid had its origins two weeks ago with a small ad in a Lancaster newspaper for free breeder dogs that caught the attention of Bill Smith, founder of Main Line Animal Rescue in Chester Springs.
Smith went to the farm, but Blank wasn't home. Volunteers visited the farm over the next two days and ended up with nine dogs, all in deplorable condition, Smith said.
"Two were missing their eyes," he said. "They had big gaping holes with flies in them. One of the dogs had his eye hanging out. Two were missing ears."
Teeth on one dog, a Shiba Inu, were so bad that he couldn't close his mouth, Smith said. Smith took the dogs to the PSPCA for medical evaluation.
A week later, undercover investigator Ashley Mutch went to the farm and purchased a sickly puppy that Blank had said was 7 weeks old. The puppy, which was determined to be just 3 weeks old, died within 24 hours, she said.
According to records from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Blank has a license to have as many as 250 dogs at his kennel. An inspection in January found no violations, although he has been cited in the past for maintenance and overcrowding.
Magisterial District Judge Henry Farmer of Oxford is expected to issue penalties against Blank today, said Scapalla.
Click here to read a related article.
Animal-cruelty convictions stand
West Earl kennel operator loses appeal, 18 dogs seized in raid
Intelligencer Journal by SUSAN E. LINDT, Staff
Published: May 31, 2008
LANCASTER, PA
West Earl Township kennel owner Ervin Zimmerman lost another round in court Friday.
Lancaster County Judge Howard F. Knisely on Friday upheld 10 of 11 counts of animal-cruelty convictions and five counts of violating state dog laws handed down in December by District Justice Daniel B. Garrett.
Knisely's decision puts another nail in the coffin of Zimmerman's 17-year-old commercial dog-breeding business, which was dealt a crushing blow in November when the state Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement revoked his license to operate.
By appealing the state's license revocation, Zimmerman bought himself more time to continue breeding dogs.
Zimmerman, who was represented by defense attorney Kurt Geishauser, was fined $1,500 plus court costs for the 10 counts of animal cruelty and $425 plus court costs for the dog-law violations.
Knisely did not prohibit Zimmerman from owning dogs — an option under the animal-cruelty statute — because Zimmerman faces a formal license-revokation hearing before the bureau in two weeks.
Pennsylvania dog law stipulates that Zimmerman may not keep more than 24 dogs without a state-issued kennel license.
Knisely did order Zimmerman to forfeit ownership of all 18 dogs seized in a Nov. 3 raid at his kennel. The ownership was transferred to the Humane League of Lancaster County, where the dogs were taken after the raid.
"We're satisfied with the judge's verdict because it is consistent with the evidence presented in the case," said Assistant District Attorney Christine L. Wilson, who prosecuted the animal-cruelty charges against Zimmerman.
Zimmerman's kennel, at 400 W. Metzler Road, Ephrata, fell onto the state's radar after failing seven state inspections from June 5 to Oct. 11, 2007, for unsanitary and unsafe conditions.
Dog warden Kristen Donmoyer testified Friday that she cited Zimmerman based on what she witnessed during inspections: dogs housed in kennels with dead, decaying dead rats in them and dogs in kennels with food receptacles contaminated by feces, spiders and moldy food.
Donmoyer also called in a humane police officer, Danielle Ball, to inspect the condition of Zimmerman's dogs. Ball testified Friday that it took officers more than 30 minutes to chase down Zimmerman, who ran at the sight of inspectors on Nov. 3.
The 18 dogs seized that day, Ball said, included a puppy whose hind feet had been chewed off; a Jack Russell with a broken leg; and dogs with fight wounds, infected gums and ear and foot infections.
Dr. Bryan Langlois, veterinarian for Humane League of Lancaster County, where the seized dogs were treated, testified Friday that some of the dogs were so severely matted that they essentially could not defecate. Langlois said those dogs had to be treated with antibiotics to make sure bacteria didn't back up into their systems.
Zimmerman, who didn't attend the December court proceeding in Garrett's office, smiled throughout his testimony Friday and denied that his dogs occupied kennels with contaminated food.
But Zimmerman's testimony came across a little like a dodge ball game Friday as he changed positions to accommodate questions fired at him by Jeff Paladina, prosecutor for the state Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, which filed the dog-law violation charges.
Zimmerman maintained that there were no dogs housed in food receptacles with contaminated food when inspectors photographed kennels for their case against him. And he said he power-washes each of his 50 kennels daily with disinfectant, but he couldn't name the disinfectant he uses.
"So you got 228 dogs in 50 cages? What happens to the dogs while you're power spraying the cages?" Paladina said, plugging away at Zimmerman's credibility. "You've been in the kennel business for 17 years, but you can't recall the name of the disinfectant you use every day?"
Wilson's office will hold two informational meetings for kennel owners to ask questions about the state's thick set of dog laws. Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman announced the meetings as a means of helping kennel operators comply.
The seminars are scheduled for Thursday at Ephrata's Eicher Arts Center in Grater Park and Friday at the Solanco High School Auditorium in Quarryville. Both will begin at 7 p.m.
E-mail: slindt@lnpnews.com
Truth about the Pet Trade: Extremely Sad Case in Mississippi
May 22, 2008 - NEW ALBANY, MISSISSIPPI
An unspeakable case of child and animal neglect has been discovered in New Albany, MS on Sunday. Janet and Ramone Barreto were visited by the Union County Sheriff’s department after a doctor tipped off police that the couple’s adopted two-year old daughter may have suffered abuse. When officers arrived at the couple’s house on Sunday, they not only found the toddler in dire condition, but they discovered eight other children, twenty five cats, several ducks, and 180 breeding dogs on the property—all in bad shape. The girl died on Monday morning.
The rest of the children have been removed from the couple and placed in foster homes. the Sheriff’s department called the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society to care for the animals, which include: English Bulldogs, Shih Tzus, Yorkies and Pugs. It is reported that the dogs were used to breed puppies that the couple sold at various flea markets in Mississippi.
The Barretos face two felony counts for the child’s death, as well as probable animal cruelty charges for the conditions of the animals on the property. A judge granted a seizure warrant for the animals to be removed from the property.
Click here for the full story from the Daily Journal
Click here for the full story from WLBT
Police remove dozens of dogs from East Northport home
BY CARL MACGOWAN | carl.macgowan@newsday.com
May 6, 2008
Dozens of dogs were removed from a suspected East Northport puppy mill Tuesday by police and firefighters wearing face masks and air tanks.
The dogs, most in small cages, were filthy, scared and living in a house filled with foul air, said Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Many of the dogs were carried to a mobile animal hospital outside the house at 36 Wicks Road as police investigated.
Irene Monroig, 66, faces misdemeanor animal cruelty charges, Gross said. If convicted, Monroig faces a year in prison, a $1,000 fine or both, he said. She could face other charges pending further investigation, he said.
"I'm not saying it is a puppy mill," he said. "But we will investigate it to see if it is a puppy mill."
Fifty-six dogs, including seven puppies, were removed from the house after an anonymous complaint to the Town of Huntington, Gross said. The dogs were mostly small breeds like poodles and shih tzus. Two baby squirrels and a parrot also were taken.
Feces, urine and moldy food surrounded the animals, the SPCA said. Before the animals were removed, the Commack Fire Department aerated the house, which Gross said was "like a hellhole."
Gross said Monroig signed the animals over to the SPCA, which took them to the Huntington animal shelter.
Vanity plates on a Lexus SUV parked in the driveway read "PUPPY 4U." Records list the home's occupant as Irene Hohwiesner, 66.
A woman who left the house refused to speak as she ducked past journalists and went into a neighbor's house.
Neighbors said they noticed a foul odor coming from Monroig's house, and a complaint was filed with the town at least once when the dogs got loose in the neighborhood.
Noreen Driscoll, whose property abuts Monroig's, said dogs from Monroig's house sometimes got into her yard through a hole in the fence. The dogs also barked constantly when they were outside, she said.
Monroig was a nice woman, but "we thought she was odd," Driscoll said.
Another neighbor, Cindy Sorgenfrei, of South Haven Drive, defended Monroig, calling the investigation a "witch hunt."
Monroig is a veterinarian who grooms dogs at the house, said Sorgenfrei, who said they have been neighbors for 40 years.
"It's never bothered me," she said of the dogs.
New York State records do not list Monroig as a licensed veterinarian.
Gross said the dogs will be examined by veterinarians and spayed and neutered before being made available for adoption. Adoption applications are at suffolkspca.org.
He said the dogs appear to be purebreds. "We're already getting tons of phone calls," Gross said. "I feel that all these animals will make good pets."
City seizes scores of dogs from Bluffs residence
By Jayna Boyle (Contact)
Monday, April 7, 2008
The city's animal control division took 69 dogs and puppies into custody last week from a home in the Bluffs.
"It would appear it was the operation of a puppy mill," said Leslie Turney, animal services manager with the city.
A puppy mill is a mass dog-breeding operation, often known for being run under substandard breeding conditions. Turney said puppy mills are not outlawed in Texas but the animals must be adequately cared for.
The dogs, most of which were shih tzus, were seized Friday from the 6000 block of Kingsbridge Drive under allegations of cruelty to animals because of cruel confinement, Turney said.
The owners of the Kingsbridge Drive home listed by the Tom Green County Appraisal District could not be reached today by telephone.
San Angelo does not have a limit on the number of dogs a resident can own, Turney said.
Cruel confinement is open to interpretation, Turney said, but it is generally applied to conditions under which animals are unable to stand up, turn around and move in a natural fashion.
"These dogs did not have room to move about without being in their own excrement," Turney said.
Jason Jares, the attorney working with the animal shelter, was not available today for comment.
A hearing in municipal court is scheduled for Tuesday to determine the fate of the dogs, Turney said. Meanwhile, they are not up for adoption.
Shih tzus range in price depending on location and the breed. TerrificPets.com, a site that advertises dogs, lists shih tzus for prices ranging from about $350 to $1,000.
Animal control does not have documentation on whether the dogs are up-to-date on their shots, Turney said. She did not know how many people had tended to the dogs.
Turney said animal control received multiple phone calls about the Kingsbridge Drive residence, at least one of which came from a nearby neighbor.
In the meantime, the animal shelter has more than doubled the 65 or so animals it typically houses at any given time.
"We are beyond full," Turney said.
About half the kennels are filled, but that is considered capacity by the shelter's standards because every morning the dogs in residence are each moved to an empty kennel while the kennel the dog was in gets cleaned, Turney said.
Puppy Mill Bust
Feb 28, 2008
Reporter: Katie Killen
Email Address: katie@tv3winchester.com
They say dogs are mans' best friend.
Thursday, they've never been more betrayed.
"We couldn't tell how thin they were, until we got our hands on them because of the fur and mats. They're in bad condition," said Warren County Deputy Jane Johnson
"They don't have sunlight or anything. All they have is what light they give them to keep them warm," said Deputy JR. Darr.
Early Thursday, 22 dogs were rescued from a rented barn along Route 522 south in Warren County.
In a garbage bag, was a dead chihuahua; It's lifeless body gaunt and emaciated.
"I have toy dogs like this and they're like a princess and the queen of the house. I mean these dogs are basically kept in a dungeon," said Darr.
For the unlicensed puppy mill owner, this isn't his first run in with Warren County Sheriff Deputies.
"It's been two years of just going up there and trying to get him to close it down. The zoning department has had him in court. He's been found guilty. He's actually on probation," said Johnson of the suspect.
"It hadn't been this extreme until now and apparently it's getting worse because he's trying to hide it."
The dogs are advertised on the Internet for sale, for a steep price.
However, buyers beware.
"This is written up as a family oriented, well loved dogs sitting on silk pillows. I didn't see any pillows in there," said Johnson.
The now go to the Warren County Humane society.
The animals will probably be put up for adoption; a happy ending to what was almost a tragedy.
Dog breeder found guilty … again
Was convicted of cruelty in 2002 as well
By SUSAN E. LINDT, Staff
Intelligencer Journal
Published: Jan 19, 2008 2:26 AM EST
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - A Lancaster County jury delivered a split verdict Friday for Elvin L. High, who was charged with two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.
In related charges, Judge Louis J. Farina found High guilty of six summary counts of animal cruelty for cropping dogs' ears without a veterinary license.
Assistant District Attorney Christine L. Wilson asked Farina to fine High $1,000 for the misdemeanor conviction and to consider prohibiting High from owning dogs for a period of time. Farina could bar High from keeping dogs for up to 3½ years.
The jury convicted High of wantonly depriving his Neapolitan mastiff, Zeus, of necessary veterinary care in a case stemming from an April inspection of his now-defunct West Hempfield breeding operation, Highgrade Kennels, 4406 Marietta Ave.
The jury found High not guilty of the second animal cruelty count involving a French bulldog named Sally Jane seized from his kennel April 25.
The prosecution argued both dogs suffered long-term illnesses that High should have treated before the ailing dogs were discovered during a state inspection of High's kennel.
Two veterinarians who examined the dogs, Drs. Bryan Langlois and Andrea Honigmann, testified during the three-day trial that the dogs suffered for weeks without treatment and that High disregarded his duty to get veterinary care for them sooner.
High's defense attorney, Cory J. Miller, used expert testimony from Honey Brook veterinarian Tom Stevenson, who said the dogs' illnesses were not long-standing. Miller argued that High sought treatment for the dogs after the illnesses were brought to his attention by authorities.
"Sally Jane needed veterinary care, no question about it," Miller said during Friday's closing arguments. "The question is, was Elvin High reckless because he didn't notice?"
During her closing argument Friday, Wilson attacked Stevenson's testimony because he had never examined either dog personally and said his testimony was biased because he admitted to being High's friend. She also said High sought vet care for the ailing dogs only after authorities found out about them. As a commercial breeder with more than 60 dogs in his care, Wilson argued High should have been more aware of his dogs' health.
"He had many dogs in his kennel for the purpose of breeding and making money," Wilson said. "He didn't care for these dogs. … These dogs suffered."
Last year brought a number of legal snags for High, who operated Highgrade Kennels for years despite a 2002 animal cruelty conviction.
In May, the state Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement revoked his kennel license for unsanitary conditions and poor maintenance, effectively putting his large-scale breeding operation out of business. Without a license, High was forced to reduce his breeding stock to fewer than 25 dogs.
In June, Humane Society police officer Keith Mohler raided High's kennels suspecting he had not reduced his breeding stock after losing his kennel license. Though Humane League officials said they found exactly 24 dogs living in High's kennels, they said 11 more dogs were discovered stashed in a tractor-trailer parked near his property.
In October, High's request to West Hempfield Township zoning board for a special exception to start a stud service at his property was met with opposition from state officials, the Humane League of Lancaster County and advocacy groups fighting county puppy mills. When High withdrew his special exception request earlier this month, it left him subject to current township zoning ordinances that allow residents to keep no more than three dogs on their property.
Although Farina commented that a 3½-year prohibition on dog ownership seemed a "serious" penalty for High, Wilson said a presentencing investigation ordered by Farina is likely to reveal his kennel business history to the judge, who is expected to sentence High in the next 90 days.
The misdemeanor conviction carries a fine of no less than $1,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 2 years. Each summary count carries a fine of $50 to $750 and/or 90 days in prison.
E-mail: slindt@lnpnews.com
Dog breeder found guilty.
Facing multiple fines, Ephrata man expected to appeal rulings
By SUSAN E. LINDT, Staff
Intelligencer Journal
Published: Dec 20, 2007 2:06 AM EST
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Former kennel owner Ervin Zimmerman was found guilty Wednesday of 11 counts of animal cruelty and five counts of violating state dog law regulations.
Zimmerman's attorney, Richard K. Teitell of Bala Cynwyd, said he will appeal District Justice Daniel B. Garrett's findings.
Jeff Paladina, prosecutor for the state Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, which filed the violations, said
each count carries a maximum fine of $300.
"I'm happy (with Garrett's decisions), but at this point, this is only Round 1," Paladina said.
Zimmerman's kennel at 400 W. Metzler Road, Ephrata, failed seven state inspections from June 5 to Oct. 11 for unsafe and unsanitary conditions. The state at that point revoked Zimmerman's license, which allowed him to keep more than 250 dogs on the premises, effectively putting him out of the large-scale dog-breeding business.
In addition to the fines Garrett may impose, the district justice ordered Zimmerman forfeit 18 dogs seized in a Nov. 3 raid on his kennel by officers working for Humane League of Lancaster County. The dogs — including poodle mixes; cairn, Jack Russell and West Highland terriers; and schnauzers — have been in the league's custody since then. Garrett also prohibited Zimmerman from keeping any dogs for up to two years.
Zimmerman did not attend Wednesday's hearings at Garrett's Lititz court, and Garrett did not announce penalties against Zimmerman on Wednesday. Zimmerman has 30 days to appeal Garrett's decisions to Lancaster County Court.
During two lengthy back-to-back hearings, state dog law wardens and Humane officers testified they warned Zimmerman that failure to clean up violations at his kennel before would land him in court.
Humane officer Danielle Ball was called to Zimmerman's kennel by state dog law inspectors after they observed during a Nov. 2 inspection dogs and puppies that appeared to be neglected and ailing.
Ball testified Wednesday that photographs of the dogs seized Nov. 3 showed dogs suffering dehydration, open wounds and sores, infections, fractured limbs, amputated paws and severely matted hair. One puppy's hind paws had apparently been chewed off by its mother; another dog's leg appeared to be broken.
"One dog was so severely matted, it couldn't even go to the bathroom," Ball testified.
"It had feces so built up in its butt, it had no place to go."
Ball also testified that when Zimmerman saw Humane officers approaching his kennel Nov. 3 to execute a search warrant, he fled on foot. Ball said they located him at his home about a half-hour later.
Lancaster County Humane League veterinarian Bryan Langlois testified that his examinations of the seized dogs confirmed Ball's suspicions that Zimmerman had denied the dogs proper treatment and veterinary care.
"All these dogs were denied veterinary care (that would have let them) obtain good quality of life," Langlois testified.
Zimmerman's attorney, Teitell, argued that none of the dogs suffered life-threatening medical conditions, and a vet had visited Zimmerman's kennel within a week prior to the execution of the search warrant. Teitell also said the dogs' ailments could have developed over the two days between the time they were seized and when the photos were taken.
"I know these photographs depict conditions of which your honor does not approve," Teitell said. "There are indications of matting, but matting is not a condition that would subject a kennel operator to a finding of cruelty. Many of these photos were taken two days (after the dogs were seized). Many conditions change in two days."
Assistant District Attorney Christine Wilson, who prosecuted the animal cruelty charges, said the statute does not require that dogs suffer life-threatening illnesses to prove neglect and animal cruelty.
For the state kennel violations, dog warden Kristen Donmoyer testified Zimmerman's kennels repeatedly failed inspections because they were filthy and poorly maintained. She also cited Zimmerman for not keeping records of rabies vaccinations — the only oversight the bureau has for kennel operators like Zimmerman, who are certified to administer rabies vaccine to dogs themselves.
Donmoyer testified Wednesday that Zimmerman's kennels were inspected Aug. 8, Aug. 22 and Oct. 11, and he was repeatedly warned or cited for conditions.
"The smell of urine and ammonia was so strong that it was hard to breathe," Donmoyer said. "It almost made me gag. That (ammonia odor) was evidence of the urine buildup."
Donmoyer testified that dogs were housed in kennels covered in feces, urine, mold, hair and dirt, indicating Zimmerman did not sanitize them at least daily, as required by state law. She said she found decaying rats in some cages with dogs in them.
She also testified that the dog food was contaminated by feces, debris and rust chips.
"The food was so moldy, it was white, green and blue," Donmoyer said. "… The feces in the food was so old, it was turning white."
Langlois testified that such conditions can spread disease and bacteria among a kennel population.
Teitell said Zimmerman did not attend the hearings because his wife had had surgery.
Teitell said he expects to present much more defense evidence during appeal.
E-mail: slindt@lnpnews.com
Many offer homes to 236 seized dogs
By Mary Ann Cavazos (Contact)
Originally published December 20, 2007
Animal Care Services staff and volunteers spent Wednesday trying to groom, wash and make room for more than 200 dogs seized from a 70-year-old woman’s home while fielding a flurry of phone calls from people wanting to adopt the animals.
But the city first must be granted custody of the animals by a judge, said Kelli Copeland, the department’s manager.
A court hearing on the case is set for Dec. 27.
“We’ve got people wanting to board them and coming in to claim them,” said Copeland. “No animal is going anywhere until the judge hears the case.”
Until then, the dogs — which include mostly Pomeranians, some Yorkshire terriers, standard poodles and possibly a couple of Shih Tzus — will continue to be housed temporarily in the city’s kennels at 2626 Holly Road.
Animal control officers seized 237 dogs from the woman’s home in the 6000 block of Edgewater Drive
on Tuesday after receiving a complaint Monday from a worker who had been at the house.
Officials had to euthanize one of the dogs because it was in poor health.
A puppy also is being closely monitored but may not survive, Copeland said.
On Wednesday, about two dozen of the department’s staff along with several
grooming companies bathed and separated the males from the females.
Johnny Paz, the owner of Pets Etc., said the condition of the dogs’ hair was the worst he had seen in his 17-year career as a groomer. Many of the dogs had to be shaved to remove mounds of matted hair built up with urine and feces, Paz said.
The woman, who lives alone and could not be reached for comment Wednesday, told animal care department officers that she was a dog breeder. She likely will be cited for failing to register and vaccinate the dogs and for violating the city ordinance of keeping no more than six animals at a residence, Copeland said.
Copeland said the dogs appeared to be adequately fed but hadn’t received veterinarian care in at least three years. They all must be seen by vets and spayed or neutered before they will be available for adoption.
If the city receives custody of the animals at the hearing, the dogs will be distributed to at least five animal rescue groups because there isn’t enough room at the city’s facility.
“It’s overwhelming,” Copeland said. “It’s going to take everything we got to maintain (the situation.)”
Staff photographer Michelle Christenson contributed to this report. Contact Mary Ann Cavazos at cavazosm@caller.com
Dogs seized from farm
Sunday, December 02, 2007
By MONICA VON DOBENECK Of Our Lebanon County Bureau
SCHAEFFERSTOWN - The Humane Society of Lebanon County seized 76 dogs from a farm Wednesday and plans to file cruelty to animal charges against the owner, Humane Society president Beth White said.
White said the Humane Society is not releasing the name of the owner until charges are filed, which could take up to a month.
White said Humane Society officers were responding to complaints from people who had gone to the Heidelberg Twp. farm to buy animals.
One dog was missing an eye and another was missing a leg, White said. She said many of the dogs had badly matted hair, and feces were in some food bowls.
The kennel had failed a couple of inspections by a state dog warden, White said.
After the dogs were checked by a veterinarian, 26 were returned to the owner. White said inspectors will return in a couple of days to make sure the kennel is brought up to code.
The other dogs either had health problems or were puppies not yet weaned. They are either at a veterinarian or in foster care, White said.
MONICA VON DOBENECK: 832-2090 or mdobeneck@patriot-news.com
Violations force dog breeder out of business
Intelligencer Journal
By SUSAN E. LINDT, Staff
Thursday, November 22, 2007
LANCASTER COUNTY , Pa. - Another dog-breeding kennel was put out of business Wednesday.
John B. Miller, owner of Millcreek Puppy Barn Kennel in Bird-in-Hand, pleaded guilty Wednesday to seven violations for poor and unsanitary conditions.
As part of a plea agreement, Miller will relinquish the state-issued kennel license that allowed him to keep 151 to 250 dogs at his breeding kennel at 2822A Stumptown Road . Without a license, Miller may keep no more than 24 dogs on the premises. He must get rid of the remainder of his dogs within 60 days.
In addition, Miller was fined $1,750 for the seven violations issued by Pennsylvania Bureau of Dog Law and must allow bureau inspectors to visit his property to make sure he does not violate the plea agreement or state dog laws.
Initially, the seven violations were misdemeanor-grade charges rather than lower-grade summary offenses because Miller had been found guilty in April of similar kennel violations. Misdemeanor charges would have become part of Miller's criminal record, but Assistant District Attorney Christine L. Wilson, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the bureau, agreed to reduce the violations to summary offenses, which are not criminal violations. Miller was represented by attorney Cory J. Miller of Smoker, Gard, Mersky.
A bureau inspector cited John B. Miller after a Sept. 28 inspection of his Upper Leacock Township kennel. Inspector Drew Delenick reported finding dogs housed in two kennels that that were inadequate for dogs to maintain their body heat and keep dry; feces in and around dog kennels that had sharp and broken wires; exposed wood on kennels that dogs had chewed; rust, dirt and debris buildup in food and water containers; and a large amount of bugs, debris, dirt and fur accumulated throughout the entire kennel.
"The (inspection) photos were some of the worst that I've seen," Wilson said after Miller's hearing Wednesday before District Justice Denise B. Commins in Leola. "There were flies, feces and cobwebs everywhere. Apparently, the dogs were in OK condition, but the kennel and the cages were an absolute mess. The pictures were horrendous."
Miller's history of bureau reviews shows dramatic inconsistency.
In January 2006, bureau warden Richard Hess inspected Miller's kennel and gave it all satisfactory ratings with no additional comments.
Miller's next inspection was in March 2007, when bureau warden Travis Hess cited Miller for maintenance and sanitation violations. A month later, Travis Hess reinspected Miller's kennel and gave it all satisfactory ratings plus a nod for Miller to be issued a 2007 license.
Just five months later, Delenick conducted the inspection that resulted in Miller essentially losing his license to operate a large-scale breeding business — a condition that Wilson said makes the plea agreement a fair resolution.
"In these cases, the most important thing is how the dogs are going to be taken care of and what conditions they're living in," Wilson said. "We were able to reach a fair resolution based on the fact that the dogs are removed from the premises and Mr. Miller will no longer have a kennel license."
E-mail: slindt@lnpnews.com