Fifteen dogs seized from breeder Graham, WA (US) Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 21, 2007 County: Pierce Disposition: Alleged Alleged: Bernadette Vohs

Case ID: 11643 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in WA (US) Login to Watch this Case

Fifteen dogs are at the Humane Society shelter in Tacoma, from poodles and Yorkies all the way up to Great Danes. Their lives are in limbo because of allegations of theft and cruelty brought against their owner, Bernadette Vohs.

Police arrested her Thursday after a customer told police Vohs was trying to cheat her out of money paid for one of the Great Danes.

Pierce County Animal Control Officers swooped down on Vohs� Graham home and confiscated the dogs because she no longer had a license to house that many. Neighbors have been complaining.

"I hope she sits in jail for a while because she's burned a lot of people," said neighbor Dennis Tuntland.

But Vohs quickly bailed out and no charges have been filed against her yet.

Vohs tells us that a lot of what you're hearing is totally untrue. She says she was returning from the bank with the refund money for the disgruntled customer when the officers went onto her property.

She insists the dogs are not being mistreated and claims there's no truth to allegations made by a former partner.

Tammy Johnson bred dogs with Vohs, but told us she saw dead puppies in boxes and sickly dogs in Vohs' kennels.

"I'm glad that she has shut down and I hope they find good homes and I hope they don't ever reproduce again," Johnson said.

Vohs says it's all untrue. She says there no dead puppies or sickly dogs, just a failed partnership.

She says she's eager to clear her name in court if charges are ever brought against her.

Vohs admits she hasn't obtained the proper license to house more than five dogs on her property. The dogs will stay at the Humane Society until the courts decide what to do.

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References

KOMO News - June 22, 2007

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