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Puppy mill - over 100 dogs seized
Lind, WA (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Jul 12, 2008
County: Adams
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Sharon Provost
Case Updates: 5 update(s) available
The Adams County Sheriff's Office, acting on a complaint, seized over 100 dogs and found the carcasses of four others at a home here today.
Two of the 111 seized Australian Shepherds later had to be euthanized, the sheriff's office. A veterinarian said the condition of the dogs, most of which did not have food or water, was poor.
Sheriff's deputies rounded up the dogs with the help of K9 Pet Rescue of Othello and Ritzville.
One of the dead dogs had strangled itself on its collar and was left in a kennel with other dogs for "an extended period of time," according to the sheriff's office.
Sharon Provost, 71, who lived at the home, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree animal cruelty.
The rescued dogs will be cared for by K9 Pet Rescue volunteers for at least two weeks, after which they'll be available for adoption if the court does not return them to their owner.
Case UpdatesCourt proceedings in the animal cruelty case involving Sharon Lynne Provost of Lind have been delayed.
On Jan. 20, in open court, Superior Court Judge Tari S. Eitzen signed an order calling for a forensic mental health evaluation of Provost.
The Lind resident is facing several charges including animal cruelty in the first degree, animal cruelty in the second degree and transporting or confining in an unsafe manner.
The judge's order calls for the evaluation to be conducted by Eastern State Hospital.
Adams County Prosecutor Randy Flyckt said the case will not proceed until the evaluation has been completed and the judge rules on whether or not Provost is competent to stand trial.
Flyckt said the defense has the option to bring forth expert testimony that could challenge the findings of the doctors from Eastern State Hospital, should they determine Provost is fit to stand trial.
He said the court may need to schedule a hearing, hear the testimony from both sides and then rule on whether or not the case will proceed.
If the court rules Provost is unfit to proceed, the judge could issue an order of commitment for restorative treatment, Flyckt said. | Source: Ritzville Journal - Feb 19, 2009
Update posted on Feb 19, 2009 - 12:18PM |
The woman accused of neglecting more than 100 dogs was set to appear in Adams County Court Monday, but the pretrial was pushed back.
Meanwhile, dozens of families have fostered the dogs, including Pasco resident Jodi Lepper.
"She's still afraid of people," said Lepper, about the dog. "But she's settled in fine here. Within three days, she was my dog."
The breeder, Sharron Provost, filed to get the dogs back, but did not meet the requirements. Now they technically belong to a nonprofit rescue group.
The dogs are up for adoption. They have been vaccinated and spayed and neutered. | Source: KEPR-TV - Sept 29, 2008
Update posted on Sep 29, 2008 - 10:37PM |
A Lind woman suspected of operating a puppy mill is expected to go to trial next month on animal cruelty charges.
Adams County authorities seized 111 Australian shepherd purebreds from Sharon Provost's property on July 12.
Dogs allegedly were found underfed, lacking adequate water, and were boarded in sheds, authorities said. A few also were found dead.
Prosecutors charged Provost with first-degree animal cruelty, which is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both.
She also was charged with two misdemeanors -- second-degree animal cruelty and transporting or confining animals in an unsafe manner -- each punishable by up to 90 days in prison, a $1,000 fine or both.
Provost pleaded innocent in Adams County Superior Court in Ritzville on Aug. 18 and was released on her own recognizance provided she doesn't possess any dogs or reside on any premises where dogs are present.
A jury trial is set for Oct. 14.
In a separate civil matter, Provost petitioned Adams County District Court for the immediate return of the seized dogs.
Visiting Judge Joshua Grant on Aug. 13 denied her petition and ordered that the seized dogs and their offspring become property of the Adams County Sheriff's Office and the volunteers assisting with the dogs' custody.
Provost filed an appeal of Grant's decision in Adams County Superior Court. | Source: Tri-City Herald - Sept 5, 2008
Update posted on Sep 6, 2008 - 11:19AM |
More dogs are dead, but many more improving after a record dog seizure over the weekend.
Adams County Pet Rescue says they've been forced to put down more dogs taken from an apparently abusive breeder in Lind.
About 50 of those dogs are still being taken care of at an Othello shelter, but their futures are unclear right now.
More may have to be euthanized.
The ones that live cannot be adopted right now because they're considered evidence in the case against Sharon Provost of Lind, who was arrested Saturday on charges of first degree animal cruelty.
Rescuers say provost had apparently been trying to run a breeding business out of her Lind home, but was abusing and neglecting more than 100 dogs, forcing the sheriff to get involved Saturday when one-hundred-eleven were seized and provost arrested.
"Until we get news from the sheriff's department on what's going to happen with her, whether she has to be tried or whatever. We were told that 15 days they're here, at least," said Deena Vietzke, V.P. of Adams County Pet Rescue.
Rescuers say the dogs were being held in pens as small as six-by-six feet and twelve feet deep with dead animal bones in some of those pens.
They've had to spread the dogs out to a variety of locations around the county because their shelter can't handle the volume.
The group hopes they can be adopted someday.
To help, contact the group at: [email protected]. | Source: KNDO - July 15, 2008
Update posted on Jul 16, 2008 - 12:40AM |
More than 100 sick and starving dogs rescued from a puppy mill are finally getting food, shelter and the human touch. At least half a dozen dogs were either found dead on site, or put down during Saturday's rescue operation.
Most of the survivors were taken the Othello Pet Rescue makeshift kennel. As the criminal investigation continues, the focus here in on rehabbing the dogs back to health and finding homes for them.
The first step is socializing the animals so they can learn to trust humans. Children crowded into the kennel Sunday, where they were encouraged to hold and touch puppies.
Volunteers said they were unprepared for so many dogs. They were in the process of building the shelter when 111 dogs were discovered in a house and separate kennel near Lind.
"This is our only facility we have for county dogs," said Pet Rescue volunteer Deena Vietzke. "We've worked really hard to get it up and running. It's not ready to run, but we made it work yesterday."
"We are worried about it, because we had the money earmarked to get the shelter up and running," said Pet Rescue President Jessica Fuhrman. "But we are taking donations, and we're hoping to get the dogs adopted out."
The nonprofit organization's only income is $6,000 a year from the City of Othello, but they've already cashed in that budget over the weekend. Next week will be even more expensive, when a vet will pay another visit to the dogs. They all need to be spayed and neutered, and most need vaccinations.
'"It'll get done," said Vietzke. "Donations are huge. Right now, that's all we live on."
Generosity has already started pouring in. A Prosser woman saw the rescue on Action News and pledged more than $6,000. Thirty dogs are already in foster homes.
"We've only got eight runs, and we have 56 dogs out here, so it's a full time job just to clean up after them and keep them fed," said Fuhrman.
One volunteer made 60 gallons of rice to feed the animals. Many of the dogs can't eat anything else because their teeth have rotted out.
All the dogs are sick, but the older ones are in worse shape, because they were apparently boarded into a filthy off-site kennel when they couldn't breed anymore.
"There's some dogs that are ten years old there, that are senior dogs, so we're assuming she's been breeding them since then," said Fuhrman.
Many others are too weak to move. At least five dogs were euthanized Saturday, and volunteers expect more to be put down Monday.
"Most of these dogs are already within a few weeks of dying," said Fuhrman. "Hopefully, all they need is just some TLC, and they'll get back on their feet. But they do need to go to the vet, which is more bills."
Action News tried to talk to Sharon Provost, the woman charged with first degree animal cruelty. No one answered the door.
At this point, the dogs are being fostered, but not adopted, because Provost could still get them back if a judge rules in her favor.
The 71-year-old also has sheep, goats, llamas, cats and chickens on the property. Sheriff's deputies say those animals had food and water, but a veterinarian said he saw at least one that needed medical attention.
If you are interested in donating money, volunteering or fostering a dog, call Pet Rescue at (509) 855-1402. | Source: KEPR-TV - July 14 2008
Update posted on Jul 14, 2008 - 9:57AM |
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