Attorneys/Judges
| Defense(s): | David Parry | | Judge(s): | Myra Scott McNary |
Images for this Case
Puppy mill - over 120 dogs
Tarpon Springs, FL (US)Incident Date: Monday, Apr 7, 2008
County: Pinellas
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 3 files available
Alleged: Teresita Hughes
Case Updates: 4 update(s) available
Authorities removed more than 120 small-breed dogs from what Pinellas sheriff's officials described as deplorable conditions at a home in the county's north end Monday afternoon.
Sheriff's deputies, an inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and representatives from the nonprofit Suncoast Animal League visited the property at 339 Ranch Road, south of Keystone Road and east of East Lake Road.
"It's a very nice home, but it reeked with a smell; and when you went back into a couple of the rooms, it knocked you out," said Rick Chaboudy of the Suncoast Animal League. "No animal should be forced to live like that, and it's not healthy for this person to go back in there. It's pretty nasty."
Deputies will conduct an animal neglect investigation and the matter will be referred to the State Attorney's Office to determine if criminal charges will be filed against Teresita Hughes, 69, the owner of the home and a dog breeder.
Most of the dogs taken were Pomeranians, but there were also some Yorkshire terriers and Maltese. Some of the dogs had broken legs, while others were undernourished and had sores from living in wire cages.
The injured dogs were taken to emergency animal clinics. The others will be given to local shelters, sheriff's officials said.
According to deputies, there were two to eight dogs packed into each wire cage.
Deputies say most of the animals were living in their own feces and urine. In addition, the food in the crates contained feces, and the dogs had no opportunity for exercise.
Hughes allowed the deputies into her home Monday and told them she had 67 animals.
"Hughes said she has been a breeder for 15 years and has had no problems," Chaboudy said.
"We deal with hoarders a lot, but this is the first time I've dealt with the huge number of animals from a puppy mill situation."
According to local news reports, Hughes had a website for Raffinans Kennel (raffinankennel.net).
Case UpdatesA Tarpon Springs woman is charged with 46 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office filed the charges on Wednesday afternoon.
The Suncoast Animal League and the Pinellas Sheriff's office went to Teresita Hughes' home last April and seized 121 Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers and Malteses.
Deputies say most of the dogs were confined with no room to exercise, feces in their food and were constantly barking. Suncoast Animal League took possession of the dogs and has incurred over $100,000 in vet bills.
In July, Pinellas Judge Myra McNary ruled that the animal rescue group didn't get permission from Pinellas County Commission to take the dogs into custody and therefore, had no right to adopt out the animals.
The judge ordered that half of the dogs be returned to Hughes. The return of the dogs is on hold while Suncoast appeals the ruling.
Teresita Hughes will be arraigned on the animal cruelty charges in a Pinellas County courtroom on August 18. | Source: Tampa Bay's 10 - Aug 6, 3008
Update posted on Aug 6, 2008 - 10:43PM |
The Suncoast Animal League's attempt to gain custody of more than 100 dogs that it confiscated in April hit a legal snag last week when a judge determined the organization didn't have the legal authority to take the dogs.
Pinellas County Judge Myra Scott McNary ordered Suncoast director Rick Chaboudy to return 60 of the healthiest dogs taken from Teresita Hughes' home. Once the dogs are returned, Hughes' home must be open to inspection once a week by county animal services or the local humane society, McNary ordered.
Hughes still is awaiting word from the State Attorney's Office on whether she will face criminal animal neglect charges.
David Parry, Hughes' attorney, said the case is about property rights.
"There are few circumstances when the government or anyone has the right to come into our homes and take things," Parry said. "It's not about whether one disagrees or agrees with the function of Suncoast or any other nonprofit organization.
"The issue is, we all have laws that we are required to follow and the way everyone is protected is everyone playing by the same set of rules."
But Chaboudy's former attorney said last week that the longtime animal welfare worker has the authority to confiscate animals and plans to file papers with the court seeking an emergency hearing on the issue.
"He's been a humane officer since 1989 and the statute does not provide that it's ever revoked or expired," said Jennifer Dietz of Tampa's Animal Law Attorneys.
This is the second time that Chaboudy has been connected to a legal custody battle involving animals. While working with the Humane Society in 2005, Chaboudy brought 288 animals back from Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
Steven and Dorreen Couture tracked their dogs to the Humane Society in 2006, several months after their St. Bernard and shepherd mix had been adopted out. They met resistance in getting their dogs back so they sued.
After a year of legal wrangling, national attention and a local judge ruling that the animals were property, the Coutures' dogs were returned.
In April, Chaboudy and the Suncoast Animal League had the Pinellas Sheriff's Office accompany them to Hughes' home in East Lake after receiving complaints about the deplorable living conditions of the dogs there.
The league took possession of 120 Pomeranians, Yorkshire terriers and Maltese and went to court to gain custody of them.
"On April 7, when we walked in the house, we made a commitment to the animals and that commitment grows stronger and stronger each day and we are going to fight for each and every one of them," Chaboudy said.
But in court last week, Parry pointed to the state law that says that those appointed to seize animals after complaints of neglect "must have the approval of the mayor of the city in which the society or association exists."
The law also says if the society or association works outside that city, the appointment must be approved by a judge and approved by the county commission.
On Jan. 29, County Judge Paul A. Levine signed a resolution to make Chaboudy a humane officer. But no such action was taken by a local mayor or the county.
All acknowledge that Chaboudy had the authority when he was with the Humane Society of Pinellas, where he worked for 20 years. But whether the authority continued once he started the Suncoast Animal League is murky.
"We have given that to the lawyer who represents animal services and she is reviewing it," said Jim Bennett, Pinellas County's attorney.
Dietz said the law covers only those who work for county animal control, not those working outside of the county's authority.
Parry said her arguments are flawed. "The judge has already ruled and it's pretty clear what the statute requires you to do and it applies to every organization," he said. | Source: St Petersbug Times - Aug 5, 2008
Update posted on Aug 5, 2008 - 10:55AM |
A woman who had 120 dogs seized from her Tarpon Springs home will get 60 of them back, a judge ruled Wednesday.
The Suncoast Animal League took possession of the dogs in April. The animals were said to be in deplorable conditions.
But the judge ruled the Suncoast Animal League did not have the proper paper work when they took the dogs.
The Suncoast Animal League had permission from a county judge, but they did not have permission from Pinellas County commissioners which is stated in the law.
Executive Director of the Suncoast Animal League Rick Chaboudy will try to get permission and go back to a judge for custody.
The dogs' owner Teresita Hughes admits she had too many dogs but her attorney says it was an illegal search in the first place.
"He can't file a petition saying I want to keep these animals because he didn't have authority to take them in first place," attorney David Parry said.
Chaboudy says he thought he did everything right.
"I've been doing this for 20 something years and it's never been a issue," he said. "So this caught me completely by surprise."
It also surprised the animal lovers caring for the dogs. The Rodriguez family protested with a sign after the decision.
"You wouldn't keep a human being in those conditions, you shouldn't keep an animal in those types of conditions," said Pete Rodriguez.
The Suncoast Animal League says the dogs have extreme medical issues. Two have died.
Hughes will get the healthiest 60 back. The animal group says they've spent more than $100,000 caring for the dogs. | Source: Bay News 9 - July 23, 2008
Update posted on Jul 29, 2008 - 2:29AM |
More than 100 dogs and puppies rescued from what was described as deplorable conditions at a north county home used as a breeding facility are recovering, though several are suffering from a variety of health problems.
Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies, Florida Department of Agriculture employees and the Suncoast Animal League on April 7 seized the Pomeranians, Yorkies and Maltese from a home at 339 Ranch Road in unincorporated Tarpon Springs.
Suncoast Animal League Executive Director Rick Chaboudy, who has seen most everything imaginable in his many years of animal rescue work, was shocked.
“We pulled up to a beautiful home with a perfectly manicured yard and I thought this must be the wrong place,” Chaboudy said. “When you opened the door into the room where the adult dogs were kept, there was the most horrible smell you could ever imagine. This was no different than the backwoods puppy mills you saw on ‘Oprah’ and other shows.”
Chaboudy said the dogs were kept in small, wire cages, with up to eight dogs crammed into 6-foot long cages. Most were covered in feces and urine. The food in the cages also was covered in feces, and the dogs were not allowed out to exercise.
The owner of the home, 69-year-old Teresita Hughes, pleaded for mercy, Chaboudy said.
“She said the usual ‘I love them, I love them’ but when we told her we were going to take the dogs, then she started negotiating to keep the young ones," Chaboudy said. "All of a sudden she didn’t love the old ones so much anymore ... it’s all about the money she could make.”
The dogs are advertised on Hughes’ Web site for sale prices ranging from $1,500 for males to up to $3,000 for females.
Hughes refused to sign over permanent custody of the dogs to the Suncoast Animal League, so the organization will go to court to seek custody.
In the meantime, the dogs and puppies, ranging in age from a few days old to 8 years old, are being cared for at the Suncoast Animal League, Westlake Animal Hospital in Tarpon Springs, Sheldegren Kennels and in foster homes.
Several have required emergency medical care.
“We’ve seen congestive heart failure, some are in oxygen cages, one has a broken leg which has been set, pneumonia and other respiratory problems,” said Chaboudy.
The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case. Hughes potentially faces felony animal cruelty charges.
Chaboudy advises that anyone interested in adopting the dogs should keep checking the Suncoast Animal League Web site for updates. Much-needed donations to help with the expenses associated with the dogs’ care also can be made at www.suncoastanimalleague.net. | Source: Tampa Bay Newspapers - April 9, 2008
Update posted on Apr 10, 2008 - 12:12PM |
References« FL State Animal Cruelty Map
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