Puppy mill - 22 dogs seized - Front Royal, VA

Thursday, Feb 28, 2008

County: Warren

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 4 files available

Alleged: Michael D. Smith

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

A gruesome and heartbreaking discovery in Warren County Thursday. An anonymous tip led sheriff's officers to a rented barn off Winchester Road where they found an unlicensed puppy mill.

Sheriff's officers were immediately granted a search warrant. They were able to rescue 22 dogs but they also found a dead chihuahua inside.

Officers say the dogs were kept in dirty, inhumane conditions and were starved of food and sunlight. As for the man running the mill, sheriff's officers say this isn't his first run-in with the law.

Jane Johnson, Warren County Sheriff's Office, says, "It's been two years of just going up there and trying to get him to close it down. The zoning department has had him in court. He's been found guilty. He's actually on probation."

The surviving dogs were taken to the Warren County Humane Society where a veterinarian will examine each one.

On Friday, the sheriff's office got 23 warrants for 71-year-old Michael D. Smith of Linden, Virginia for alleged animal cruelty offenses. All of these counts are class one misdemeanors carrying up to one year in jail and up a $2,500 fine per count.

There were also 52 summonses issued because of lacked county tags and rabies vaccinations. Smith has turned himself in to the sheriff's office.

Case Updates

Twenty two dogs showing obvious signs of neglect were seized from an unlicensed breeding facility in Warren County, Virginia two weeks ago. The dogs' owner, Michael D. Smith was on probation for past zoning ordinance violations, and was not allowed to have more than four dogs at his residence. The approximately twenty dogs he was keeping on another property in a barn did not violate Smith's probation, but the squalid conditions discovered there were enough to arrest and charge him with 23 counts of animal cruelty. Officers with the Warren County Sheriff's office said that Smith's kennel has been "a problem" for years, and that he has been in court before for zoning violations. Two weeks ago, an anonymous complaint came in, reporting unsanitary conditions at the kennel. An officer was dispatched to the property and observed enough at the barn to obtain a search warrant. A statement from the Sheriff's office dated Feb. 28th stated: "A search warrant was served on the barn on Feb 28th and 22 dogs were found in unsanitary and inhumane conditions." The dogs were seized, and Smith was served with 23 warrants for arrest for alleged animal cruelty, and 52 summonses for lack of county tags/rabies vaccinations. If Smith is found guilty, all counts of cruelty are punishable by up to one year in jail and up to a $2500 fine for each count. With only a cursory search, it was discovered that Smith conducted his puppy sales using a number of websites and ads including: -www.epetsandsupplies.com -www.doggies.com -www.freedoglistings.com And he often placed ads in the Washington Post publication "Express.". Smith used tactics that many savvy commercial breeders use: several business or kennel names, advertising in several different places, advertising one breed at a time, or listing himself as a breeder for one type of dog rather than many at once. Chances are, his customers never knew that their adorable, expensive new puppy came from a barn. Customers also couldn't have known that Smith's breeding adults were so matted and neglected that it was difficult to discern what breed they are. When authorities seized the dogs, one Poodle was so matted that his back legs were stuck together. The dogs are now safe, on the mend, and on their way to new homes. Middleburg Humane Foundation has been put in charge of caring for and finding appropriate homes for the dogs. A shelter representative reported: "I'm happy to say that health-wise a lot of them are doing pretty well, though a couple of them are still super freaked out. I expect that many of them will go to new homes in the next couple weeks. Mr. Smith will be in court on March 18th to learn what his future will hold.

Source: Best Friends Network - Feb 29, 2008 Update posted on Mar 31, 2008 - 12:23AM

References

• WHSV - Feb 29, 2008
• Northern Virginia Daily News - March 15, 2008

« Back to Search Results
« VA State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Warren County, VA

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.