Puppy mill - 42 dogs seized Leesburg, GA (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Jul 25, 2007 County: Lee
Disposition: Alleged
Abuser names unreleased
More than 40 dogs were confiscated from a Lee County resident Wednesday after officials found the animals living in undersized pens and feces, Lee County officials said Thursday.
Lee County Public Works Director William Clark refused to release the name of the person or even the street address where the dogs were found, claiming the investigation was ongoing and saying that the person was cooperating with authorities.
"For their sake as well as anybody else's, I would prefer to keep that confidential," Clark said. "I don't want folks over there harassing them or anything."
The animals were confiscated after officials received complaints about a foul odor at a home in the county, Clark said. When animal control officers arrived at the home, they found six-to-eight dogs living in 4-by-6-foot pens, the animals being forced to live in their own feces, he said.
The dogs were not used in a dog-fighting operation but were simply mistreated, animal control secretary Donna Mathis said.
Species of the dogs seized were Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Poodles, Pekinese, a Cocker Spaniel, Maltese and a Shih Tzu, Clark said. The dog owner was allowed to keep four of the animals, but the other 42 were confiscated.
"We had a report from residents of a strong odor coming from a nearby residence, so we had to go check on it," Clark said. "At the (residence), we found a makeshift kennel situation.
"There were a few unfortunately, for various reasons, that had to be put to sleep, but the majority are in good health and eligible to be adopted."
The Albany Humane Society is holding 14 of the dogs, and the Lee County Animal Control office is holding 11, Clark said. All of those 25 are up for adoption. Clark did not know what happened to the other 17 but said that about six or seven had to be euthanized.
Clark said the person who had the dogs had been illegally breeding the animals for sale but did not have a kennel or a business license to do so, which means the state could file charges against the person.
A Lee County ordinance allows for only four dogs or cats per household, but the county did not file charges against the person, Code Enforcement Officer Jim Wright said.
To adopt an animal, contact the Albany Humane Society at (229) 888-7387 or Lee County Public Works at (229) 759-6028. References |