Puppy mill - over 100 dogs seized from rescue
Portland, TN (US)Incident Date: Friday, Sep 25, 2009
County: Sumner
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Richard Swafford
Dead rats rotted on the floor of one of the biggest puppy mills Sumner County officials have ever uncovered in a raid Friday morning in this north Sumner County city.
Officials seized more than 100 dogs, mostly adults with some puppies, from Border Collie Rescue of Middle Tennessee.
"This is one of the biggest we've had in awhile," said Sgt. Michael McLerran with the Sumner County Sheriff's Office. "The conditions were just awful."
The raid followed a months-long investigation of the operation, which for years had been breeding and selling dogs under a nonprofit status. Executive Director Richard Swafford will face animal cruelty charges, Sumner County Sheriff Bob Barker said.
Officials with the Humane Society of the United States used a large truck to evacuate 55 dogs that will be distributed to Border Collie rescue missions nationwide to await adoption.
About 50 more dogs were sent to Portland and Gallatin animal shelters, where they will remain as evidence. The animals will later go to rescue missions, McLerran said.
The facility on North Center Point Road was rife with feces, mud and fleas, authorities said.
Matted with fleas, some of the dogs' fur was coming off where they had scratched at the parasites. The animals were dirty, malnourished and many were sick, officials said.
"A lot of them acted like they didn't have any human contact," said McLerran, looking at a female collie and six puppies, whose white spots could hardly be seen under the mud.
"All the kennels had fleas in them. The whole building stunk."
All the kennels were muddy and damp, and the lighting was poor, McLerran said.
Dead rats were on the floor and live ones were running around the kennel, the officials reported.
Swafford was not surprised when about 30 officials arrived at the facility Friday morning, officials said.
"He knew we were coming," McLerran said. "We've been getting complaints on them for more than a year. We know there are others out there. We just haven't been able to bust them yet."
This is one of several puppy mills Sumner County officials have busted within the past year, including in Westmoreland and Millersville. The biggest operation was uncovered several years ago in Bethpage. References« Back to Search Results
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