Puppy mill - 85 dogs seized
Little Rock, AR (US)Incident Date: Monday, Jul 7, 2008
County: Pulaski
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Phyllis Martin
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A Saline County woman is charged with animal cruelty after the Pulaski County Humane Society found 85 dogs infested with fleas and skin conditions.
"Look at this. Look at this. Look at this poor animals back end and tail," says Kay Simpson with the Pulaski County Humane Society.
They're covered in fleas. Many are anemic. Many have skin conditions and have no hair.
"There is 85 total," says Simpson."They are definitely most of them in life threatening condition."
Simpson and her team at the humane society rescued 37 dogs on Monday from a home in Saline County on West Colonel Glenn Road. They went back for the rest Thursday.
Simpson explains, "This one down here is totally matted to the bone. Can't see because of the hair."
The dogs lived with 50-year-old Phyllis Martin. Deputies say she bred them and sold them from her home.
"I guess it turns into a money issue, and the more puppies the more money. I don't know," says Simpson.
Simpson got a tip about their horrific conditions from someone who went to the home trying to buy a dog. Martin is now charged with 85 counts of animal cruelty.
"These [puppies] were born last night in a house with no bedding and soaked in urine. Two were dead and stuck to the floor of the dog house."
Most of the dogs have serious health problems. Three will lose an eye because of infection. Each one needs medicine, shots, grooming and a bath. But most importantly, Simpson says, they need love.
"It breaks my heart it really does. It is my job to do this, and you know I just don't understand how anyone could own a dog and not do something for it in this condition," cries Simpson.
There are 85 dogs, all rescued, but still hurting and still nervous. Now they're reaching out for care.
Animal cruelty is not a felony in Arkansas. So the 85 counts are all misdemeanors. Phyllis Martin is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 14.
After Thursday's rescue, the Pulaski County Humane Society is filled to capacity. They are in desperate need of monetary donations and bedding.
Send donations to:
Pulaski County Humane Society
14600 Colonel Glenn Road
Little Rock, AR 72210
Many of the dogs will start going up for adoption in the next few weeks.
Case UpdatesA Saline County dog breeder who has been charged with 85 counts of animal cruelty will be appearing in court next month, Saline County sheriff's Capt. Scotty Courtney said Thursday.
Charged with the offenses is Phyliss Martin of 1224 W. Col. Glenn Road.
Martin reportedly has been breeding dogs for more than 20 years.
Deputy Lisa Yates said she and Kay Simpson of the Pulaski County Humane Society went to Martin's property near Paron in northern Saline County on July 10.
Simpson said she already had been to the residence July 7 and had taken 37 dogs.
Simpson told the deputy that because of the condition the remaining dogs were in, she planned to remove them that day.
Simpson spoke with Martin, who agreed to allow Simpson to take the 48 animals that were at the residence that day, Yates' report noted.
The dogs reportedly were in pens where there was no food or water and their hair was severely matted. They were infested with fleas and ticks and some were unable to see, the report said.
Some of the dogs had to have surgical procedures to remove their eyes, authorities said.
Martin is scheduled to enter a plea to the charges in Saline County District Court on Aug. 14. If she pleads innocent, a trial date will be set, Saline County Prosecutor Ken Casady said.
Martin, who owns Phephe's Poodles, has claimed that her declining health prohibited her from providing proper care for the dogs. She says she suffers from emphysema and other respiratory disorders.
She also said she has been hospitalized twice this year.
Simpson said the incident was "really bad" and could not think of a situation where the animals were in worse condition.
"One of the dogs that Simpson found confined in a cage recently gave birth to seven puppies," Simpson said. Two had died and the other five were kept in a cage with the dead siblings, feces and urine, she said.
Simpson reportedly was alerted to the situation by two customers who had visited Martin's business at her home in Moody Hollow, a rural area about 25 miles northwest of Benton.
Many of the dogs' coats had to be shaved because their hair was matted with feces. Others were anemic because of the severity of flea bites.
Many suffered from heartworm infestation, Simpson said.
All of the charges against Martin are misdemeanors since Arkansas does not have a felony animal cruelty law. | Source: Benton Courier - July 19, 2008
Update posted on Jul 21, 2008 - 12:42AM |
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