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Breeding/Hoarding- 37 dogs seized
Keystone Heights, FL (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Dec 9, 2006
County: Clay
Disposition: Not Charged
Person of Interest: Anthony P. Andiorio
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Clay County authorities have seized 37 dogs from a property owner in Keystone Heights, saying the living conditions were poor.
Clay County Sheriff's Office Animal Crimes Detective Annie Henderson in coordination with Clay County Animal Control personnel seized the dogs on Dec 9 night from Anthony Andiorio. Detective Henderson believes the dogs were being bred for sale by the owner both locally and over the Internet.
The dogs were found in poor living conditions outside the mobile home, many of them in small stacked cages, standing in feces, with matted hair and some with wounds from biting each other, police said. Andiorio is cooperating with the agencies involved and signed over ownership of the animals so that they may be rehabilitated and made available for adoption. He was allowed to keep ten dogs that were housed in better conditions inside a mobile home.
The dogs were well fed. Police said the owner agreed informally to cease breeding dogs, to allow regular inspection of his property and to improve the overall living condition for his remaining pets.
The following dogs were seized:
12 Boxers
1 Siberian Husky
7 Adult Great Danes
5 Great Dane puppies
2 Maltese
2 Jack Russell Terriers
5 Lhasa-Shihtzu Mix
2 Dachshund
1 Terrier-Dachshund Mix
The case is under investigation and no decision has been made regarding possible charges.
Case UpdatesThis case is a sad one for kennel workers and the Clay County Animal Crime unit because the animals' owner was, at one time, a well-known reputable breeder in the area.
Among the 37 dogs seized were Shih Tzu mixes whose hair was so matted it had to be shaved off.
There was also a Boxer that had been attacked by another dog in a neighboring cage.
"He fed them well but it was their living condition that was really deplorable, walking in their own feces, feces in their hair, fighting through cages, urine burns on their paws, bloody toes from rubbing on the concrete," Detective Annie Henderson said.
Henderson says this is not a typical abuse case. Despite how bad the animals looked, Henderson believes their owner cared about them but could no longer afford to care for them due to health and financial problems.
"His biggest fear that kept him from picking up the phone and saying, 'I can't care for them anymore', is that he had a fear they would all be euthanized, they would not go to good homes and would be put to death. I think that's what kept him from picking up the phone and saying, 'I'm not able to take care of them anymore.'"
The dogs will not be euthanized. They will all be going to various rescue groups until the dogs are healthy enough to be adopted.
The owner was not arrested because he surrendered the animals. He will no longer be allowed to be a breeder, and agreed to surprise visits by the Animal Crime unit.
If you are interested in adopting the dogs, visit the Clay County Animal Adoption Program online, or call 269-6342. | Source: First Coast News - Dec 12, 2006
Update posted on Dec 18, 2006 - 4:23PM |
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