State seizes 63 dogs
Rescued Carroll County dogs brought to Roanoke.
Photos by Stephanie Klein-Davis | The Roanoke Times
Angels of Assisi volunteer Elizabeth Sweet (left) and staff member Stephanie Arriaga handle a dog carrier Saturday as a state trooper checks a list.
Crystal Wright, a professional groomer with Country Pet Grooming in Troutville, volunteers her time Saturday with Angels of Assisi where she helped groom this apricot poodle and other dogs seized from a Carroll County puppy mill.
A Boston terrier was among the dogs being transported to an undisclosed location Saturday.
A toy poodle that was seized has serious dental problems and will need all its teeth extracted.
A group of Boston terriers are carried to a clean cage while their other cage is cleaned.
"Number 38," volunteer Elizabeth Sweet said as she carted a piece of canine cargo, a white Lhasa apso. "10-4," Senior Trooper Gary Chafin said, making a note on his clipboard.
The reason for all the security and record-keeping: Two days earlier, these dogs had been seized from a Carroll County business, where they were being kept in kennels so cramped and filthy that authorities decided to rescue them. All 63 dogs were taken to Angels of Assisi. No charges have been filed against the dogs' owner, David Winesett of Hillsville.
After consulting with the state veterinarian, Virginia State Police took custody of the animals under an impoundment law. "The conditions were such that they warranted removing the 63 dogs," said Sgt. Michael Conroy, a state police spokesman.
Animal welfare groups said that abuses are all too common among unregulated dog breeders and sellers, also known as puppy mills. "This is probably one of hundreds of operations in Virginia alone," said Richard Samuels, president of the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force. "If they go unmonitored, this is what they can turn into." Samuels said his group received an e-mail tip about Winesett's operation, which they forwarded to state police.
In the coming days, police will consult with the Carroll County commonwealth's attorney about the possibility of bringing criminal charges, Conroy said. Meanwhile, a civil hearing will be held in General District Court within the next 10 days to determine where the dogs will be placed. Winesett could not be reached for comment Saturday.
Not long after police arrived at Winesett's business, Angels of Assisi was called in to help. Within hours, the nonprofit organization mobilized what volunteer Lisa O'Neill called its "puppy mill rescue" operation. A truck loaded with medical supplies and crates was sent to the scene. It returned to Angel of Assisi's Roanoke clinic late Thursday afternoon, full of dogs that needed immediate attention.
Although there were no life-threatening injuries, many of the dogs were suffering from damaged nails, decayed teeth and infected ears and paws -- likely the result of living in cramped and dirty quarters, O'Neill said. And all of them were filthy, their fur matted with urine and feces. "They were so terrified when they came in," O'Neill said.
"But as soon as they got a bath and they got groomed, their heads went up. The difference after a bath is huge." Veterinarians who volunteered their services stayed at the clinic until 3 a.m. Friday performing triage and first aid on the dogs, and volunteers were working through the weekend to get them bathed and groomed.
Authorities said the dogs seized Thursday -- mostly small breeds commonly used as household pets -- had no apparent connection to Horton's Pups, another Carroll County dog business where more than 1,000 dogs were seized last year. That case brought national attention to the problem of puppy mills in Virginia, which led to the passage of legislation to crack down on the industry. The new laws, which do not take effect until Jan. 1, put stiffer regulations on commercial dog breeders across the state.
The new laws require that those in the business breed only female dogs between the ages of 18 months and 8 years and have licensed veterinarians certify each year that the dogs are in suitable breeding health. It also stipulates that breeders maintain records of animal sales, purchases, breeding history and veterinary care, and requires no more than 50 adult dogs be kept at one time unless approved by a local ordinance after a public hearing.
Angels of Assisi hopes to put the dogs up for adoption but must wait until the legal aspects of the case play out, O'Neill said. Anyone interested in adopting a dog should watch the shelter's Web site, www.angelsofassisi.org, for details. Meanwhile, the shelter is asking for donations to cover the costs of caring for the dogs.
Because puppy mill dogs are not used to human contact, they take to adoption a little slowly. "They don't know how to be a pet. They don't know how to be part of a family," O'Neill said. "But once they figure that out, they are the most wonderful dogs."
Staff writer Jorge Valencia contributed to this report.
Source: http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/184427
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Animal Abuse Dismissed for Timing Technicality
By Mollie Halpern | Investigative Reporter
Published: December 2, 2008
Updated: December 2, 2008
State police seized 63 dogs from former animal control officer, David Winesett last month. Winesett breeds and sells dogs from his Hillsville home. Police went there after recieving complaints about dogs being neglected.
A hearing to determine whether former animal control officer David Winesett abused his dogs was dismissed before it even began. A judge ruled that the hearing should have taken place within 10 days of the dogs seizure—today is the 11th day. “10 days means 10 days,“ said Winesett’s attorney, Terry Kilgore
But - the prosecution argued that despite a good faith effort to schedule a hearing during the mandated timeframe—that there was simply no availability.
“I was made aware that there were not hearings yesterday,“ said Assistant Attorney General Charles Quagliato.
Winesett says he has been deprived of his property and wants his dogs back, “i’m ecstatic that the judge has seen it the way he has.“ Winesett and his supporters also say that not only was the seizure a waste of taxpayers money but it was done through intimidation. They’ve been passing out these flyers to encourage the public to call their local representatives to handle the way it was handled.
And now—the prosecution will appeal the way today’s hearing was handled—in hopes of moving forward with the case. WSLS obtained these exclusive pictures of the dogs taken while still under Winesett’s care—just days before the seizure.
Animal welfare groups say that these pictures prove the dogs were abused and neglected….and they don’t want them returned to Winesett. But that’s what will likely happen—the prosecution and defense will work out how and when Winesett will get his dogs back. The dogs are currently under the care of Angels of Assisi and are still recieving medical treatment. The state veterinarian’s office is monitoring the dogs condition.
Source: http://www2.wsls.com/sls/news/local/article/animal_abuse_case_dismissed_for_timing_technicality/22305/
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Dogs rescued from a Hillsville breeding operation last year are thriving in a new home.
By Courtney Cutright
981-3345
Meet Theodore, the canine formerly known as Chompers. The apricot-colored toy poodle was one of 63 dogs seized when state police raided a Hillsville commercial breeding operation in November 2008.
Theodore's teeth were so deteriorated that most had to be pulled, which prompted the volunteers to dub the lovable fellow "Chompers." He has only about a half-dozen teeth left on one side of his mouth, and his little pink tongue hangs out the other, where there are no teeth left.
He was adopted in January and has gained a healthy 3 pounds, bringing him up to 9 pounds. Although he now weighs on the high end for his breed, his little butterball body still fits into doggy sweaters. "I probably overcompensate for his lean years," said Robyn Schon, the woman who adopted him.
Theodore (or Theo-dorable, as Schon likes to call him) and the other rescued dogs -- mostly Boston terriers, Yorkies, schnauzers, poodles and dachshunds -- arrived at Angels of Assisi, an animal shelter in Roanoke, with damaged nails, decayed teeth, infected ears and fur matted with excrement.
They received immediate medical attention and weeks of tender loving care at the shelter while the kennel owner, former chief dog warden David Winesett, fought in Carroll County court to regain custody of his dogs. After the civil case was dismissed on a technicality, Angels bought the dogs from Winesett and put them up for adoption.
Schon, an Angels volunteer and assistant general manager of the Roanoke Civic Center, jumped on the chance to bring home Theodore and Winston, another poodle rescued from the Hillsville operation. "They adopted me, really," she said.
Schon brought the dogs to her Southwest Roanoke home, where she already had a German shepherd, a border collie mix and two cats -- all adopted. Theodore and Winston have their own space in the house; a spare bedroom blocked with a baby gate. Winston has been slower to adapt, but even Theodore was disoriented at first.
"For the first three or four nights, I didn't hear them bark," she said. "I didn't hear them make a noise. Then I woke up one morning and I heard them playing together and romping." Schon lay in bed and cried. She said she was emotional because she knew the dogs most likely never had a warm, dry, comfortable spot where they could just be dogs.
Veterinarians estimate Theodore is between 7 and 9 years old. Of the dogs that were rescued, only about 10 were puppies; the rest like Theodore, were older dogs that likely were bred excessively.
Lisa Knoble-O'Neill, the Angels' volunteer coordinator, said she knows paying Winesett for the dogs was not ideal. "Anyone will tell you the last thing you want to do is give money to someone who is exploiting a living creature to make money," she said.
But it was what had to be done for those dogs, she said. A condition of the sale prevents Knoble-O'Neill from disclosing the terms. She said if it came down to it, she would do the same thing again. All the dogs rescued from the Hillsville operation have been adopted. "It was the very best thing for the dogs," she said. "They come back to visit and they are entirely different -- full of life and free from fear."
Source: http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/230935
