Breeder charged with cruelty, 90 dogs surrendered - Stuarts Draft, VA

Wednesday, Aug 26, 2009

County: Augusta

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Kyle N. Brydge

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

A Stuarts Draft dog breeder was charged late Wednesday with 100 assorted misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and failure to provide adequate care, according to Augusta County Animal Control arrest warrants.

Kyle N. Brydge, 45, owner of Oak Leaf Kennel on China Clay Road, was ordered held without bond Thursday afternoon.

Of 102 total charges, he faces 70 counts of Class 1 misdemeanor cruelty to animals; 30 counts of Class 3 misdemeanor failure by a pet shop owner to provide adequate care; and one count each of failure to maintain proper business records and failure to properly license a dog older than 4 months.

Brydge last week relinquished more than 90 dogs to state and local authorities after a routine inspection by a state veterinarian, according to Augusta County General District Court records.

On Tuesday, a judge’s order barred Kyle and Kim Brydge from owning companion animals for two years. Brydge failed to provided adequate care, food, water and shelter for 99 dogs -- mostly small breeds -- the order states.

Exactly how many dogs were seized remains unclear: court records variously name 94, 97, or 99 seized dogs. Those animals since have been sent to animal shelters across Virginia, according to Augusta County authorities. Brydge has declined to comment.

Oak Leaf Kennel was operated on Brydge’s 17-acre property, which has a special-use permit from Augusta County permitting 106 dogs to be kept there, according to county records.

Class 1 misdemeanor charges carry a maximum 12-month jail sentence. Other misdemeanors are punishable by fines.

Case Updates

Augusta County officials decided to place further restrictions on a Stuarts Draft dog breeder, who pleaded guilty to dozens of animal cruelty charges in September. The Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously voted Thursday to cancel special-use permits that allowed Kyle Brydge and his wife, Kim, to have on a kennel on their property. Brydge was arrested on 70 charges of animal cruelty and 30 charges of failing to provide adequate care following an animal cruelty probe involving the 99 dogs he owned on the property. At the time, Kyle Brydge was ordered to pay the Augusta Regional Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals $10,890 in restitution and a judge entered a civil order barring him from owning or possessing companion animals for two years. However, a separate ruling later stipulated that Kyle Brydge could keep six of his dogs. In addition, Brydge’s wife and son, both of whom were not charged, were also allowed to keep companion animals on the property. Because Kyle and Kim Brydge were both listed on the county special-use permit, Thursday’s BZA ruling now restricts the couple from owning more than four dogs. Board members said Kim Brydge still has the option of reapplying for a special-use permit.

Source: News-Leader - Dec 3, 2009 Update posted on Dec 6, 2009 - 10:10PM

A Stuarts Draft dog breeder, who pleaded guilty to dozens of animal cruelty charges in September, could face further restrictions from the Augusta County Board of Zoning Appeals. The BZA tabled a decision for 30 days on Thursday of whether to revoke several special-use permits for Kyle Brydge, who pleaded guilty to 70 charges of animal cruelty and 30 charges of failing to provide adequate care. He was arrested during an animal cruelty probe involving the 99 dogs he owned on the property. At the time, Brydge was ordered to pay the Augusta Regional Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals $10,890 in restitution and a judge entered a civil order barring him from owning or possessing companion animals for two years. However, Brydge said a judge later amended that ruling to allow him to keep six of his dogs. His wife and son, both of whom were not charged, were also allowed to keep companion animals on the property. During Thursday's BZA meeting, Brydge argued why the board should not entirely strip his permit that allows him to maintain a maximum of 106 adult dogs on the property. While asserting he should never have been charged for the animal abuse, he said he would like to be allowed to breed up to 29 female dogs on the property, which the highest number that would not subject him to certain state scrutiny. According to the county's code, any property with more than four dogs needs a kennel permit. Brydge said the state veterinarian, who led the cruelty probe, overreacted and he only pleaded guilty to avoid jail time. Brydge said the dogs were treated humanely, and he said it was "a joke how the state operated" during the probe. "I was treated unfairly," he said, "and I don't expect to be treated unfairly by my county." BZA Chairman Steven F. Shreckhise and other board members agreed they needed more information, including reports from Brydges' veterinarian, court records and accounts from county animal control officers, before they rule on the matter. "I do feel something needs to be changed, and it's evident (the 106 maximum dogs allowed) number is too high," Shreckhise said. ""We need to take some action, but I don't feel comfortable without more information." The BZA will take up the issue again during its Dec. 3 meeting.

Source: News-Leader - Nov 6, 2009 Update posted on Nov 9, 2009 - 2:40AM

References

• Waynesboro News-Virginian - Aug 28, 2009

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