Case Snapshot
Case ID: 13536
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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Attorneys/Judges
Defense(s): Ralph Vinje, Justin J. Vinje
Judge(s): Bruce Haskell, Thomas J. Schneider


For more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.



Tuesday, Feb 5, 2008

County: Burleigh

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Dismissed

Person of Interest: Lila Peterson

Case Updates: 4 update(s) available

A Burleigh County woman whose hoard of Chihuahuas attracted the scrutiny of the sheriff's department has been charged with animal neglect.

Lila Peterson was charged Monday [April 1, 2008] with the Class A misdemeanor. She made her first appearance in the case Tuesday [April 1, 2008] morning at the Burleigh County Courthouse.

South Central District Judge Bruce Haskell allowed Peterson released without bond, according to court documents. He prohibited Peterson from acquiring any new animals while the case is pending.

The Burleigh County Sheriff's Department was alerted to the number of animals at Peterson's home in early February by the state veterinarian's office, which had been contacted by a concerned citizen. At the time, Peterson told the Tribune a slump in sales had resulted in her having 75 Chihuahuas living in her basement.

Peterson gave away and sold numerous dogs after the sheriff's department began investigating. Nearly a month after the initial report to law enforcement, Peterson relinquished ownership of 47 Chihuahuas, which included newborn puppies, along with six cats, to the sheriff's department.

Some animals were sent to Prairie Paws Rescue in Jamestown, while others were cared for temporarily at the Bismarck Police Department Impound. Authorities planned to send the animals at the police department impound to out-of-state rescue organizations following vaccinations and quarantine periods.

Burleigh County Sheriff's Deputy Mike Stoltz said the charge was based on the number of animals Peterson kept confined to the basement, along with the amount of feces and urine in the area of the dogs' food and water.

Peterson's attorney, Ralph Vinje, was not available for comment as he is out of the office until next week.

If convicted of animal neglect, Peterson could face up to one year in jail and fines of up to $2,000.


Case Updates

The North Dakota Supreme Court unanimously has upheld a district court ruling that a Burleigh County woman could not adequately care for 47 dogs, including at least 39 chihuahuas, confiscated from her home.

Lila Peterson had appealed a district court ruling that probable cause existed for Burleigh County authorities to confiscate the 47 dogs from her home and a ruling that she could not adequately care for the dogs.

In a ruling handed down Tuesday, written by Justice Carol Ronning Kapsner, the court upheld the district court rulings.

In February 2008, someone asked the state veterinarian's office to investigate conditions at Peterson's home. Burleigh County sheriff's deputies estimated there were as many as 75 chihuahuas in the basement of her home. Peterson told the Tribune she raised chihuahuas and would take in stray chihuahuas and give them to good homes.

She gave away or sold around 30 chihuahuas after a story about her dogs ran in the Tribune.

In early March of that year, authorities took 47 dogs and six cats from Peterson's home. She signed two forms at the time �" one which said she was relinquishing ownership of the animals and one that said she could get the animals back in five days.

The district court did not hold a hearing on whether the confiscation was proper, since Peterson had signed the form relinquishing ownership of the animals. She appealed that matter to the Supreme Court, which ruled she should have had a hearing into the matter.

In two hearings, South Central District Judge Tom Schneider ruled probable cause existed for the removal of the dogs from Peterson's home and that Peterson could not properly care for the animals.

Burleigh County Sheriff's Deputy Jim Hulm and Sue Buchholz, director of the Central Dakota Humane Society, testified at the hearings about what they saw in Peterson's home.

Hulm said he saw approximately 60 chihuahuas stacked on top of one another in two kennels, which the dogs could not enter or exit on their own, when he went to the house in early February.

Buchholz, who assisted in the confiscation of the animals, testified she saw a dehydrated mother chihuahua and a malnourished springer spaniel, and said several chihuahua puppies needed supplemental feeding after confiscation.

"The testimony of Hulm and Buchholz not only established probable cause to confiscate the dogs, but also supported the district court's finding that Peterson cannot adequately care for them," Kapsner wrote.
Source: Bismark Tribune - Dec 15, 2009
Update posted on Jan 3, 2010 - 3:38AM 
The state Supreme Court said a woman can't have her 47 Chihuahuas back. The higher court upheld a judge's ruling that Lila Peterson can't provide adequate care for the dogs. The ruling said sheriff's deputies were justified in removing the dogs from Peterson's basement.

A copy of the appeal ruling is below, filed on December 15, 2009 and
[¶4] On March 11, 2008, Peterson petitioned the district court for a hearing on the disposition of the dogs under N.D.C.C. § 36-21.1-06, which the district court then scheduled. The State moved the district court to cancel the hearing, arguing Peterson did not have the right to a hearing because she voluntarily relinquished ownership of the dogs. In support of its motion, the State attached the relinquishment of ownership form signed by Peterson. The district court found Peterson voluntarily relinquished ownership of the dogs and cancelled the hearing. Peterson appealed the district court's decision to this Court, and we found the district court erred in cancelling the hearing and remanded the case for further proceedings. See In the Matter of Lila Peterson's Dogs, 2008 ND 225, 758 N.W.2d 749.

[¶5] The district court held a hearing on two days in March and April 2009 to determine whether Peterson voluntarily relinquished the dogs and, if not, whether she could adequately care for them. Because the deputy sheriffs gave Peterson conflicting forms, the district court found she did not voluntarily relinquish the dogs. The district court then considered testimony regarding whether Peterson could adequately care for the dogs.

[¶6] Deputy Hulm testified he visited Peterson's house in February 2008 in response to a call from a veterinarian regarding a possible animal neglect case. Hulm stated he could smell a foul odor immediately upon entering the house. As he walked downstairs, Hulm testified the odor became stronger. When he entered the basement, Hulm stated he observed a utility room that had been converted into dog kennels. Hulm testified he observed newspaper on the floor in one corner of the room that the dogs had completely soiled. He also saw a water dish and food dish in another corner, with food scattered all over the floor. As he walked through the basement, Hulm testified he observed several kennels containing a mother chihuahua and puppies. In the last two kennels, Hulm stated he saw "all these chihuahua type dogs literally on top of one another. Just tons of them. And I asked [Peterson], I said: Well, how many dogs are in here, and she said: About 60. And then I kind of paused for a second and I asked her to clarify: So 60 meaning in the room total or 60 in these last two kennels, and that's when she said: 60 in the last two kennels." Hulm stated he could not see food or water in the last two kennels because "there was too many dogs. You couldn't see the floor of those two kennels. I mean, it was literally a dog on top of dog packed in one after another." Hulm testified the last two kennels did not have doors or gates allowing the chihuahuas to enter and exit, and the dogs were too short to jump over the kennel wall. He stated Peterson told him she had recently gotten rid of thirty additional dogs, so she apparently had over one hundred in the basement shortly before his visit. Hulm took photos of the basement kennels, which he forwarded to the sheriff's investigative unit. The State entered these photographs into evidence at the hearing.

[¶7] Two individuals who helped confiscate the dogs in March 2008 also testified. Deputy Lonny Quam testified that, when he arrived at Peterson's house, the dogs were not exposed to cold or inclement weather, and he saw no evidence that Peterson did not properly feed or water them. Sue Buchholz, shelter director for the Central Dakota Humane Society, testified one mother chihuahua appeared dehydrated and several puppies needed supplemental feeding. Buchholz also stated a springer spaniel taken from the property had numerous bite wounds, was malnourished, and had to receive veterinary treatment. She testified the basement was too dark because there was no electric light, so the only light came through small basement windows. As to her general observations, Buchholz stated: "Just my feeling was way too many dogs for a small space and [the dogs] certainly weren't socialized and it certainly wasn't clean."

[¶8] Peterson testified on her own behalf. She stated she had seventy-five dogs in her basement when deputy Hulm visited in February 2008. Peterson admitted two photos taken by Hulm showed kennels without food or water, but stated she was simply busy on the day the deputy visited. Peterson testified she generally checked the food and water and cleaned the kennels three times a day. Peterson stated she kept the dogs in her basement during winter and had outdoor kennels for the dogs in summer. When the deputies confiscated her dogs in March 2008, Peterson testified she thought the dogs were being taken to be tested for disease and would be returned "when they got a clean bill of health."

[¶9] William Nieland, then president of the Bismarck Kennel Club, testified he examined Peterson's basement on the first day of the hearing in March 2009, and found it "perfectly satisfactory for chihuahuas." Nieland testified the kennels were clean, and the dogs present that morning had adequate food and water and were not exposed to cold or inclement weather. However, Nieland stated he was "not sure" whether the basement was large enough to raise seventy-five chihuahuas. He also testified "I can't say" when asked whether the amount of food and water shown in the photos taken in February 2008 by deputy Hulm was adequate for seventy-five dogs.

[¶10] In its memorandum opinion and order, the district court relied "primarily on the testimony of Sue Buchholz" and found "that there were too many dogs in the small space provided for the dogs and that the area was not clean." Therefore, the district court concluded Peterson "cannot provide adequate care for the dogs" and ordered the State not to return them to her.

II.

[¶11] Peterson argues the State did not have probable cause to confiscate her dogs. We disagree. Under N.D.C.C. § 36-21.1-06(1), "[a]ny sheriff, police officer, licensed veterinarian, or investigator may take custody of and care for any animal unjustifiably exposed to cold or inclement weather or not properly fed and watered." We have explained probable cause exists when the facts and circumstances within an officer's knowledge are sufficient to warrant a reasonable person to believe an offense has been or is being committed. Seela v. Moore, 1999 ND 243, ¶ 6, 603 N.W.2d 480. Therefore, under N.D.C.C. § 36-21.1-06(1), probable cause to confiscate an animal exists when a sheriff, police officer, licensed veterinarian, or investigator knows of facts and circumstances sufficient to warrant a reasonable belief that the animal is being unjustifiably exposed to cold or inclement weather or not being properly fed and watered.

[¶12] Deputy Hulm testified he saw approximately sixty chihuahuas stacked on top of one another in two kennels, he could not see food or water in the kennels, and the dogs could not enter or exit the kennels on their own. Buchholz testified she saw a dehydrated mother chihuahua and a malnourished springer spaniel. Based upon Hulm and Buchholz's observations, the State had probable cause to believe Peterson's dogs were not properly fed and watered and could legally confiscate the dogs under N.D.C.C. § 36-21.1-06(1).

III.

[¶13] When the State confiscates an animal under N.D.C.C. § 36-21.1-06(1), it must immediately notify the owner "that the animal may be sold, or otherwise disposed of, pursuant to court order if the animal is not redeemed within five days from the date of the notice." N.D.C.C. § 36-21.1-06(3). Where an owner seeks to redeem the animal, "[b]efore the animal is returned to its owner, the court shall determine whether the owner . . . can provide adequate care for the animal. The court has ten days within which to make this determination." N.D.C.C. § 36-21.1-06(8). In it memorandum opinion, the district court found Peterson "cannot provide adequate care for the dogs" and ordered the State not to return them to her.

[¶14] On review, we will only reverse a district court's finding of fact if it was clearly erroneous. Aasmundstad v. State, 2008 ND 206, ¶ 16, 763 N.W.2d 748 ("In actions tried without a jury, we review a district court's findings of fact under the clearly erroneous standard of N.D.R.Civ.P. 52(a)."). A finding of fact is clearly erroneous if induced by an erroneous view of the law, no evidence exists to support the finding, or we are left with a definite and firm conviction the district court made a mistake. Id. "A district court's choice between two permissible views of the weight of the evidence is not clearly erroneous, and simply that we may have viewed the evidence differently does not entitle us to reverse the court's findings of fact." Id.

[¶15] We hold the district court was not clearly erroneous to find Peterson cannot adequately care for her dogs. The testimony of Hulm and Buchholz not only established probable cause to confiscate the dogs, but also supported the district court's finding that Peterson cannot adequately care for them. Deputy Hulm testified he saw approximately sixty chihuahuas stacked on top of one another in two kennels, he could not see food or water in the kennels, and the dogs could not enter or exit the kennels on their own. Buchholz testified she saw a dehydrated mother chihuahua and malnourished springer spaniel, and several chihuahua puppies needed supplemental feeding after confiscation. Peterson correctly notes N.D.C.C. § 36-21.1-06(8) requires a district court determine whether an owner "can" adequately care for the animals, not whether the owner did adequately care for them. However, the Legislature's use of the present tense does not preclude courts from considering evidence of an owner's past care in making its determination. The past care provided by an owner, particularly the circumstances leading to the confiscation, may be relevant to whether the owner can adequately care for the animals. Thus, based upon Hulm and Buchholz's testimony, the district court was not clearly erroneous to find Peterson cannot provide adequate care to the large number of dogs confiscated by the State. While Nieland testified Peterson's facilities appeared adequate for raising chihuahuas, he did not testify the area was adequate for the number of dogs that were confiscated. In contrast, witnesses who saw the facilities on February 7 and March 1, the day the dogs were removed, indicated there were too many animals in the space. Relying on such testimony, the district court concluded Peterson had not established she can care for the animals she sought to have returned. A district court's choice between two permissible views of the evidence is not clearly erroneous. Aasmundstad, 2008 ND 206, ¶ 16, 763 N.W.2d 748.

IV.

[¶16] We hold probable cause existed to confiscate Peterson's dogs, and the district court was not clearly erroneous to find she could not adequately care for them. We affirm the district court order.

[¶17] Carol Ronning Kapsner
Mary Muehlen Maring
Daniel J. Crothers
Dale V. Sandstrom
Gerald W. VandeWalle, C.J.
Source: North Dakota Supreme Court - No. 20090160
Update posted on Dec 16, 2009 - 4:42PM 
The case against a Burleigh County woman who had about 75 Chihuahuas in her basement has been dropped.

The dogs were found in Lila Peterson`s rural Bismarck home in February.

At the time, Peterson said a slump in sales led to the large backlog of Chihuahuas.

Peterson gave away and sold several dogs after the investigation started.

She later relinquished ownership of 47 dogs to the sheriff`s department.

A civil suit to decide if Peterson voluntarily waived her rights regarding seizure of her dogs is pending before the North Dakota Supreme Court.
Source: KFRYT - Nov 20, 2008
Update posted on Jan 3, 2010 - 3:40AM 
A district judge has denied a motion to dismiss an animal abuse charge against a Burleigh County woman who had a hoard of Chihuahuas living in her basement.

Lila Peterson faces a Class Amisdemeanor animal neglect charge. South Central District Judge Bruce Haskell said Thursday he will not dismiss the charge based on a motion filed by Peterson's attorney, Ralph Vinje.

The Burleigh County Sheriff's Department was alerted to the number of animals at Peterson's rural Bismarck home in early February by the state veterinarian's office, which had been contacted by a concerned citizen. At the time, Peterson told the Tribune a slump in sales had resulted in her having around 75 Chihuahuas living in her basement.

Peterson gave away and sold numerous dogs after the sheriff's department began investigating. Nearly a month after the initial report to law enforcement, Peterson relinquished ownership of 47 dogs, which included newborn puppies, and six cats, to the sheriff's department.

Peterson was charged March 31 with the offense.

Vinje explained his motion in court on Thursday, saying the charge should be dismissed because it was a case of "punitive prosecution." He alleged prosecutors charged Peterson because she decided to fight the seizure of her animals in a civil suit.

Peterson signed a form relinquishing ownership of the animals when sheriff's department officials came to her home, but she did not read it first, Vinje said.

"They gave her a document that said she could request a return of the dogs within five days," he said.

In the civil suit, Peterson requested a hearing on the return of the animals, but South Central District Judge Tom Schneider dismissed the case because Peterson had signed the document turning over ownership of the animals. The case has been appealed to the state Supreme Court, which has not set a hearing date for the matter.

Burleigh County Assistant State's Attorney Julie Lawyer said Vinje had failed to prove the prosecution was malicious. For such a motion to be granted, Vinje would have to show prosecutors lacked probable cause to file the charge or that other people in Peterson's situation had been treated differently, Lawyer said.

Haskell pointed out that he was the judge who found there was probable cause for the charge when it was filed. Issues brought up by Vinje relating to the handling of the investigation and seizure of animals may be things to be presented to a jury, he said.

"At this point, I just don't find there's a basis to dismiss the charge," Haskell said.
Source: Bismark Tribune - May 29, 2008
Update posted on Jan 3, 2010 - 3:40AM 

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