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Case #12530 Rating: 2.3 out of 5
Puppy mill
Philadelphia, PA (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Oct 23, 2007
County: Philadelphia
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: David Pippen
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Authorities have discovered an alleged puppy mill in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia.
The apparent mistreatment of dogs includes airedale terrier puppies appearing to have their tails docked or amputated without pain medication or antibiotics.
"These puppies are really in horrible condition. They have gangrene on their tails and all their tails are badly infected," veterinarian Ravi Murarka said.
However, there are dogs in worse condition. SPCA investigators found more than a dozen dogs inside a home on the 71 hundred block of Boyer Street in Mt. Airy.
One puppy was dead in a trashcan. Investigators say conditions inside and outside the home are deplorable.
"It's like a junkyard back there with leaves and dirt in it," SPCA investigator Wayne Smith said.
Investigators say David Pippen ran the puppy mill. A woman and a young man who identified themselves as Pippen's wife and son talked to investigators outside the home, but they refused to answer questions from Action News.
SPCA board members Jodi Goldberg and Harrise Yaron helped bring Pippen to justice and this isn't the first time. In 2003, after answering an advertisement for airedale terriers and doing their own legwork, the two women helped convict Pippen of animal cruelty. Now, he's charged with a second offense and that could bring jail time.
"I guess it was 4 years ago. We told him the worst day in his life was the day he met us," Goldberg said.
The SPCA says airedale terriers sell from around 750 dollars to 15 hundred. Pippen was allegedly selling his dogs for 300 hundred dollars. The SPCA says to be wary of a deal that appears to good to be true.
Case UpdatesDavid Pippen was convicted on two charges of animal cruelty and sentenced to two years in prison. In October 2007, the Pennsylvania SPCA (PSPCA) law enforcement team removed 11 Airedale dogs in poor health and living in unsanitary conditions at 7130 Boyer Street and 246 E. Armat Street — two properties belonging to Pippen. One of the puppies removed from the properties was dead. Pippen had been advertising the dogs for sale in local newspapers. In addition to jail time, Pippen was fined $8,000 plus restitution and prohibited from selling or breeding dogs. It is expected that Pippen will appeal the verdict.
"This verdict and sentencing is a very good sign for the animals that need this protection and represents a new era for sentencing of animal abusers in the Philadelphia court system," said PSPCA CEO Howard Nelson. "Once again the outstanding PSPCA law enforcement team has helped bring an animal abuser to justice." | Source: PSPCA - June 16, 2008
Update posted on Jul 17, 2008 - 12:50PM |
References« PA State Animal Cruelty Map
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