Case Details

Puppy mill/hoarding - 86 dogs in mobile home
Albany, OR (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Apr 30, 2007
County: Benton
Disposition: Alleged
Charges: Misdemeanor
Case Images: 1 files available

Alleged: Carol Brower

Case Updates: 5 update(s) available

Case ID: 11357
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment, Hoarding
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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About 70 small dogs and puppies were removed from a Benton County home Monday afternoon by Benton County Sheriff�s Office deputies, and their owner, Carol Brower, is facing charges of second-degree animal neglect.

Kerry Mullin, executive director of Heartland Humane Society, was on site Monday afternoon with a crew of staff and volunteers to help remove the dogs. Mullin said the living conditions inside the mobile home were horrendous.

�There�s tons of feces and lots of dogs,� Mullin said. �There are multiple adults mixed in with puppies.�

�This is the second-worst I�ve seen in 16 years,� Benton County Animal Control Officer Rich Wendland said.

Mullin said the walls of the home were eaten by the dogs, and that holes in the floor allowed the dogs to move in and out. Rat feces and household chemicals littered the home, causing an unsafe environment for dogs and humans alike. Mullin characterized the home as uninhabitable, and said there was little furniture other than a bed.

There appeared to be adequate food and water for the animals, but many of the dogs had matted fur, and Mullin witnessed dogs fighting with each other on the property, where most roamed unleashed and uncaged within the fenced yard and the house.

Law enforcement and local humane societies have known about Brower and her dogs for at least three years.

�Different agencies have tried to work with her over time,� Mullin said.

Years ago, Mullin said, it appeared that Brower was willing to work with enforcement agencies. She turned over some of her dogs to Heartland, and seemed cooperative.

�It kind of felt like forward momentum,� Mullin said.

More recently, the problem appeared to be worse, and conditions were such that the Benton County Sheriff�s Office decided to get involved. After being told she had to improve the conditions for her animals, she and her dogs relocated to Linn County.

When Albany Animal Control was about to get involved with Brower, she moved back across county lines to her North Albany home again, Mullin said.

During the move, Brower believed something had been stolen from her, and she called Benton County sheriff�s deputies to her North Albany property. There, deputies saw the conditions of the home, and documented them.

Based on what they saw, Benton County sheriff�s department filed an affidavit for a search warrant, which they executed on Monday.

�It is a very carefully planned situation,� Mullin said. �We don�t want to do it wrong.�

When sheriff�s deputies and Heartland representatives first arrived on the scene, Brower refused to come out of her house. It wasn�t until deputies cut the lock on the front gate that she came outside.

After that, however, she worked with investigators. Patrol Deputy Randy Hiner said Brower was being cooperative. As she walked around her property, talking with Hiner and Lt. Greg Ridler, and Wendland, she held a tiny Yorkie to her chest. She did not respond to requests for comment from the Gazette-Times.

Because it is a criminal investigation, the living conditions and each dog had to be carefully photographed and catalogued. Then the dogs were transported in crates to Heartland, where two veterinarians were waiting to examine them.

Brower advertises herself as a dog breeder on-line, and Mullin said she would tell clients that she would not meet them at her home, because she wanted to protect her privacy.

That is always a warning sign, Mullin said.

�If you�re going to buy a dog from a breeder, you have to see where they were living,� Mullin said.

On a Web site, Brower advertised her Yorktese puppies, and claimed they were �Home raised in Oregon and cared for every day � Current shots and well socialized.�

Mullin disputed that characterization. �These dogs were clearly unsocialized,� she said. Although some of the dogs were mildly friendly, they shied away from leashes. Others exhibited nervous or neurotic behavior, and Mullin was bit from behind at one point.

Brower was not a licensed breeder, and there was no evidence of rabies vaccinations or that the dogs individually were licensed.

While Brower could face jail time, Hiner said she�s more likely to be ordered not to possess animals in the future. Because of the condition of her home, a report is also being sent to the Benton County Health Department, which could investigate further.

The animals cannot be adopted unless Brower is tried and convicted. For now, Heartland is in desperate need of foster families willing to take in dogs temporarily, Mullin said. People who are interested in fostering animals can go to the Heartland Web site at www.heartlandhumane.org and download a foster care form, or call 757-9000.

Late Monday afternoon, more and more dogs were being transported out of the home. Mullin hopes that the dogs can find stable, safe homes, but was troubled that the raid had to happen.

�This is not the way any humane society wants to do this,� Mullin said.

Case Updates

The attorney representing a woman facing charges of animal abuse and neglect for running a puppy mill in North Albany has withdrawn from the case.

Attorney David Corden of Corvallis filed a motion Wednesday to withdraw as counsel to Carol Brower, who faces 88 charges of second-degree animal neglect and 13 counts of second-degree animal abuse.

On April 30, Benton County sheriff�s deputies found 86 dogs, mostly papillon and Yorkshire terriers, living in squalid conditions on Brower�s property.

Brower has not entered pleas on any of the charges. A plea and sentencing hearing scheduled for Aug. 17 was canceled.

�The defendant and I have come to an impasse on her defense in this case,� Corden said in an affidavit filed with the court. Judge Locke Williams signed an order allowing Corden to withdraw. Brower has two weeks to retain a different attorney.

All of the dogs that were seized from Brower�s home are being cared for in foster homes found by the Heartland Humane Society of Corvallis, according to executive director Kerry Mullin. The dogs cannot be adopted until the case is resolved.
Source: Corvallis Gazette-Times - Sept 17, 2007
Update posted on Sep 17, 2007 - 10:52PM 
Attorney�s for a woman accused of abusing and neglecting dozens of dogs want more time to prepare the case -- as new puppies continue to arrive.

Benton County deputies seized 86 dogs from Carol Brower�s North Albany home in April.

Heartland Humane Society helped find foster homes for many of the pets, but said Thursday that five of the dogs have since given birth and three more litters of puppies are due in the next two weeks.

The new pups will be kept with their mothers until they are eight weeks old.

"We are a fairly small organization and this is always our busiest time of year," Kerry Mullin, Executive Director said. "Now layer an extra 100 neglected dogs on top of that, and you can imagine that our resources are stretched." "On the other hand, I am so proud of our team who have managed to provide the best care possible to each and every animal."

Brower faces more than 80 counts of animal neglect and more than 10 counts of animal abuse.

The Heartland Humane Society helped groom and care for the dogs and also brought in an animal behavioral specialist.

"Our foster parents are dealing with a variety of behavioral issues as a result of the dogs previous neglectful living situation. Professional help is necessary to try and get these dogs back on track," says Mullin.

To learn more about these dogs visit www.heartlandhumane.org.
Source: KGW - June 21, 2007
Update posted on Jun 22, 2007 - 9:12PM 
The arraignment of Carol Brower, a North Albany resident who faces charges of second-degree animal neglect and abuse, was postponed Thursday. Brower will appear in court at 9 a.m. June 21, for a status check hearing in the case.

Benton County Sheriff�s deputies seized more than 80 dogs from Brower�s residence on May 1. The animals were living in horrendous conditions, according to Kerry Mullin, executive director of Heartland Humane Society. There was little furniture other than a bed.

Heartland has cared for the dogs and found foster homes for them.
Source: The Democrat-Herald - May 18, 2007
Update posted on Jun 1, 2007 - 11:16PM 
The North Albany woman charged with 86 counts of animal neglect in connection with dogs and puppies seized from her Spring Hill Drive property on Monday could face additional charges of animal abuse.

Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said this morning he is waiting for the health reports on the animals that were taken to Heartland Humane Society in Corvallis. He expects to know later this week whether additional charges will be filed.

�If you have a crime of animal neglect, that speaks to the condition the dogs or puppies are living in,� he said. �If you are talking about something that is done to a dog that causes physical injury, death or an abnormality, that is animal abuse.�

Anyone who adopted a dog from Carol Brower at 4156 Spring Hill Road that may have a problem is asked to contact Lt. Greg Ridler of the Benton County Sheriff�s Office at 766-6858.

Authorities along with workers and volunteers from Heartland Humane Society rescued papillon, Yorkshire terriers and mixes of those breeds at Brower�s property shortly after noon on Monday. She was cited on the neglect charges following the rescue, Haroldson said.

Kerry Mullin, executive director of the shelter who helped with the rescue, said the dogs were living in deplorable conditions.

�Yesterday was insane,� Mullin said this morning. �We even had board members down here just directing people coming in to foster and they were bringing in food, toys and donations. The outpouring from the community is amazing.�

People from all over the West Coast are contacting the shelter, she said.

�We received 97,000 hits on our Web site between midnight Monday and midnight Tuesday,� Mullin said. �People are trying to learn more about the case and how they can get involved.�

For the most part, she said, �the dogs are doing quite well. Some of the dogs were quite thin, and we are finding some look older than they actually are.�
Source: Albany Democrat-Herald - May 2, 2007
Update posted on May 2, 2007 - 8:55PM 
Foster families are needed immediately to care for dozens of dogs rescued from a home in North Albany Monday afternoon and taken to Heartland Humane Society in Corvallis.

Kerry Mullin, executive director of the shelter, said some dogs will be ready to go into foster care on Wednesday.

People can get an early start with the paperwork by filling out application forms on the shelter�s Web site, www.heartlandhumane.org, or by calling 757-9000 to get more information.

Donations also are needed to pay for the dogs� medical, grooming and nutritional needs.

The Benton County Sheriff�s Office and workers and volunteers from the humane society arrived at the home of Carol Brower, 4156 Spring Hill Drive, shortly after noon Monday armed with a search warrant.

Eighty-six dogs, mostly Papillon and Yorkshire terriers and mixes of those breeds, were found at the property.

The number increased by three after a dog went into labor Monday evening.

The 89 dogs seized could be the largest neglected dog rescue ever conducted in the state, according to Mullin.

�Our staff was here (at the shelter) until midnight processing the animals,� Mullin said. �Overall, the dogs seem in pretty decent shape, but many of them have socialization issues; however, they should be wonderful dogs for adoption.�

Mullin characterized some of the dogs as friendly while others appeared to be nervous or neurotic. She turned her back on one, which then bit her in the back of the leg.

From Spring Hill Drive on Monday, dogs were heard yipping, snarling and barking as deputies and workers tried to catch the animals, most of which weighed less than 10 pounds. Some of the dogs� fur was matted with feces and other matter.

The dogs were discovered inside a fenced-in area screened by tarps and in a single-wide mobile home on the property. Mullin said the conditions in the house were deplorable.

The walls and flooring were eaten away, and the odor was severe. There were rat feces and household chemicals throughout the house.

�This has been going on over a long period of time,� she said. There was plenty of food and water for the dogs, she added.

Mullin said it was her understanding the Benton County Health Department would be called in to examine the home.

She said law enforcement and officials at the humane society have known about Brower and her dogs for at least three years.

At one point, she surrendered some of her dogs and appeared to be cooperating, Mullin said.

Then Benton deputies learned the situation had grown worse, but before anything could be done, she moved from North Albany across the Willamette River into Albany.

Before long, she moved from the city limits into Linn County and then she returned to North Albany.

When deputies and Heartland arrived at Brower�s home Monday, deputies called out for her to open the lock on her chain link gate. They called to her several times but got no answer. Mullin said the minute deputies cut the lock, Brower came out of the house.

Holding a small dog, she walked around her property with Patrol Deputy Randy Hiner.

Hiner said she would be charged with animal neglect.

Before the dogs were taken to the Corvallis shelter, they were given a cursory examination, cataloged, photographed and then put into kennel crates.

Mullin said Brower had advertised herself as a breeder.

Heartland Humane Society is in south Corvallis at 398 S.W. Twin Oaks Circle.
Source: Democrat-Herald - May 1, 2007
Update posted on May 2, 2007 - 10:33AM 
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References

KVAL - May 1, 2007
Corvalis Gazette - May 1, 2007

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