Illegal kennel, substandard conditions - Suffolk, VA

Thursday, Mar 6, 2008

County: Suffolk City

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Eugene Gordon Lynch

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Suffolk Police are working to shut down an illegal kennel operating near the North Carolina border that held more than 100 dogs and other animals in what police found to be substandard conditions.

Animal control responded to a complaint Thursday about conditions at the kennel, located in the 4300 block of Desert Road. When they arrived, they located 102 dogs, several cats and "an assortment of livestock" at the residence, said Suffolk Police spokeswoman Lt. Debbie George. Thirty-eight of the dogs dogs were seized for failing to license/vaccinate.

Police are currently trying to locate documentation on the kennel and its animals, George said. She said charges against the owner of the property are pending.

Case Updates

A Suffolk man tells WAVY.com that he pleaded guilty to a reduced number of inadequate animal care charges Tuesday, "to make it all go away." Lynch turned himself into police in March, after investigators searched his Suffolk property where they found over 100 dogs, cats, chickens, and other livestock. They also found over $57,000 in cash, suggesting he had a kennel operation where he sold animals, and wasn't properly licensed. Lynch pleaded guilty, but many of the pictures shown to WAVY.COM may not constitute guilt. More importantly, Suffolk Judge William A. Moore was looking at the same pictures and thought the same thing. He thought the pictures could be explained. In court Judge Moore said, "Mr. Lynch is a well known person in the community...with a fine reputation...we have the media here, and I want him to get a fair hearing. I'm a dog animal lover. I'm looking at the feces and I think that may be explained that he was ill a few days...had he not been ill, it may not look like this...what is wrong with this operation?" Even Lynch's attorney Jeremiah Denton who advised Lynch to plead guilty thinks maybe... "So in hindsight you always wonder, you always wonder." As for the guilty man, Lynch too thinks pleading not guilty may have been the better plea. Judge Moore accepted the plea deal because of the piles of feces under the cages, which apparently was the worst evidence against Lynch. "He was asking, 'Are these really bad conditions?' He was with you at every turn. That you are respected in the community, that you can explain these conditions. With all this in mind, do you regret pleading guilty," asked WAVY.com, pushing the issue. After a long pause, Lynch replied, "No comment." All the dogs have been placed with rescuers, and part of the agreement says Lynch can not have more than five domesticated animals on his property at one time, and he can not sell them.

Source: WAVY - May 21, 2008 Update posted on May 21, 2008 - 11:01AM

A Suffolk man who was charged with operating an illegal kennel admits to his crime in court Tuesday. 74-year old Eugene Lynch faced 145 separate charges of not taking care of dogs and other animals. Lynch admitted in court that he failed to provide adequate care for these animals on his 110 acre farms. In all 103 animals dogs, cats, and puppies were removed from the farm back in March. Officers say the animals were crammed into small, filthy cages, sitting in their own waste and forced to drink dirty water. Lynch has agreed to pay more than $2,100 in fines and $1700 in restitiution to the Suffolk Animal Shelter. He also will not be able to own more than 5 animals, can't engage in breeding, and can't have a kennel license. The animals are now in the care of the Suffolk Animal Shelter awaiting adoption.

Source: WTKR - May 20, 2008 Update posted on May 28, 2008 - 3:34PM

A 74-year-old man has been charged with 145 counts related to an investigation into a kennel he kept at his home on the southern edge of the city, police said. Eugene Gordon Lynch is charged with 103 counts of failing to provide adequate care, 25 counts of no rabies shots for dogs, 10 counts of no dog licenses, six counts of no rabies shots for cats and one count of failure by a dealer to provide adequate care, said Lt. D.J. George, a police spokeswoman. Lynch turned himself in Friday night and was released on his signature, George said. Police went to Lynch's home, in the 4300 block of Desert Road, two weeks ago because of a complaint of animals being kept in poor conditions. Police took 38 dogs on one return visit. The animals remain at the Suffolk Animal Shelter, George said. Lynch's son, Cory, told The Virginian-Pilot that animal control officers had visited the property in the past and were always satisfied with the conditions then.

Source: Hampton Roads - March 17, 2008 Update posted on Apr 8, 2008 - 2:52PM

References

• Daily Press - March 7, 2008

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