CONVICTED: Was justice served?
more information on voting
When you vote, you are voting on whether or not the punishment fit the crime, NOT on the severity of the case itself. If you feel the sentence was very weak, you would vote 1 star. If you feel the sentence was very strong, you would vote 5 stars.
Please vote honestly and realistically. These ratings will be used a a tool for many future programs, including a "People’s Choice" of best and worst sentencing, DA and judge "report cards", and more. Try to resist the temptation to vote 1 star on every case, even if you feel that 100 years in prison isn’t enough.
Case #1617 Rating: 3.7 out of 5
Puppy mill - 46 dogs found emaciated
Tunkhannock, PA (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2003
County: Wyoming
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: John C. Tanis, III
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
An Eaton Township man pleaded not guilty recently to 53 charges of animal cruelty. John Tanis, owner and operator of an unlicensed kennel at 70 Buck Mountain Road, faces action in Wyoming County Court on all charges filed by the Bureau of Dog Law and the Susquehanna County Humane Society June 12.
Officials from Susquehanna, Wyoming, Bradford and Lackawanna counties raided the kennel May 21 and seized 46 emaciated and parasite-ridden dogs and two cats. The animal cruelty charges include depriving animals access to clean and sanitary shelter, depriving animals of clean and sanitary shelter which protects them from inclement weather, preserving body heat and keeping them dry, depriving puppies of veterinary care, neglecting puppies to which he has the duty of care, keeping 10 puppies in unsanitary conditions and depriving them access to clean and sanitary shelter, and neglect. All are summary offenses.
Officials at the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement charged Tanis with 29 counts of failing to have a dog three months of age or older vaccinated against rabies and seven counts of failing to license a dog over three months of age. All charges through dog law carry a fine of $50 with a $10 processing fee each.
Susquehanna County Humane Society Shelter Manager and Humane Society Police Officer Chad Weaver said Tanis can be fined "anywhere from $50 to $750" or 90 days jail time per charge of animal cruelty.
"The amount of the fine and jail time is up to the judge," Weaver said. "I am going to ask for the maximum fine and 90 days in jail plus custody of the animals.
"Custody of the animals is the most important thing right now."
According to court officials, Tanis will pay a fine only if found guilty.
The dogs, Weimaraners and Labradors, suffered from anemia, malnutrition and internal and external parasites when they were found. Weaver said the animals' recovery has been "amazing."
"The rescued dogs are doing great. You wouldn't even recognize them," he said.
"They are eating really well. We're going through food like candy," Weaver said. "We have a lot of dogs up here now to take care of."
The surviving animals are "lucky," officials said, compared to the two puppies who died while at the shelter and the dogs who were shot and left in the woods on Tanis' property. A hearing is scheduled before District Justice Carl Smith Aug. 13 at the Wyoming County Courthouse, Tunkhannock.
Tanis is no stranger to court hearings involving cruelty to animals. According to members of Delaware Valley Weimaraner Club and Rescue, Tanis' property in New Jersey was raided to rescue dogs. He was imprisoned before being placed on probation for the possession of illegal firearms.
In March 1996, he was arrested by Lackawanna County officials after they found two illegal firearms and 45 dogs on his mother's property where he lived in Moosic. He was placed in Lackawanna County Jail on weapons charges. He pleaded guilty to the dog law violations.
He posted bail but was arrested shortly after for failing to raise an additional $25,000 in bail. His bail was raised because of the nearly 200 charges related to the mistreatment of animals. Before his second arrest, officials set up a sting operation after Tanis posted a sign in his mother's window to sell puppies. According to an article printed in The Scranton Times in November 1996, Tanis sold a dog for $400 to an undercover officer but was unable to supply the dog with American Kennel Club papers as he advertised, which led to a charge of theft. State Dog Officer Ron Lupin filed 13 misdemeanor charges and seven summaries against Tanis following the sting operation.
Tanis was found guilty in July 2000 after failing to appear for a hearing he requested on 13 dog-law citations following incidents in September 1999 and March 2000. District Justice Ted Giglio found him guilty and fined Tanis a maximum of $300 plus $41 in court costs for each citation.
Tanis moved his kennel to Mehoopany in March 2000, where he was watched by officials from Pennsylvania Dog Law before moving his kennel to Eaton Twp.
In October 2002, Tanis attempted to sue former Lackawanna County District Attorney Judge Michael Barasse, Assistant District Attorney Karl Lynott, the county and Linda Longo and Ann Millan of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for over $1 million for conspiring to wrongfully prosecute and jail him in 1998, which stemmed from charges on cruelty to animals in 1996. President Judge A. Richard Caputo dismissed the case because Tanis failed to support his accusation.
Donations of dog food for the humane society may be dropped off at The New Age-Examiner office, 16 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, or call the shelter at 278-1228.
Case UpdatesJohn C. Tanis III, 56, was indicted March 22 for possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon and illegal possession of machine guns. Specifically, he is charged with possessing 104 rifles, pistols and shotguns, a functioning Thompson submachine gun, machine gun parts and assorted ammunition.
Tanis was taken into custody at his residence March 8 after agents of the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Wyoming County district attorney's office served a search warrant that included his residence, vehicle and other properties.
History of arrests
Tanis has an arrest record that includes another weapons conviction in New Jersey and cruelty to animals charges.
An FBI affidavit in support of Mr. Tanis's arrest said the investigation began after an unidentified witness notified the agency last month and said that Mr. Tanis was seeking 50 barrels for Thompson submachine guns.
The government alleges Tanis traveled to Russia to buy Thompson submachine gun receivers, which house the firearm's bolt, firing pin, trigger group and ammunition feed system. He allegedly would use the receivers to assemble functioning automatic weapons.
In January 2004, Tanis was fined $11,800 on animal cruelty charges after New Jersey police stopped him Dec. 24, 2003, while he was delivering puppies to people who planned to give them as Christmas gifts. Shortly afterward, 31 dogs were removed from an unlicensed kennel he owned in Wyoming County. He later pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges in that case.
Tanis is being held without bail at the Lackawanna County Prison. He will be arraigned before a federal judge, though a date for his arraignment has not yet been set. | Source: The New Age Examiner - March 30, 2005
Update posted on Mar 30, 2005 - 2:43PM |
Fugitive dog breeder nabbed at New York airport
A Wyoming County dog breeder accused of operating illegal puppy mills has been caught.
According to Wyoming County District Attorney George Skumanick Jr., John C. Tanis III was nabbed at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City, on Sunday and is in custody in New York.
An extradition hearing has been scheduled and Skumanick said he expects Tanis to be returned to Wyoming County sometime this week.
Tanis has run up a lengthy list of convictions for animal cruelty and other offenses in Pennsylvania and New Jersey since 1996.
On Jan. 12, he was fined $11,080 and given a suspended 60-day prison sentence on animal cruelty and abuse charges in a 9-year-old case in New Jersey after police caught up with him during a Dec. 24 traffic stop.
Tanis was allegedly delivering puppies to customers.
Tanis failed to appear in Wyoming County Court on Jan. 14 for further court action on animal neglect charges and was declared a fugitive. He allegedly called the Wyoming County sheriff about two weeks ago and said he's out of the state and not coming back, said Skumanick.
In late January humane officers seized 31 dogs from an unlicensed kennel owned by Tanis in Eaton Township. The dogs were outside without any shelter, and some didn't have any food or water. The dogs have since been adopted out.
A condition of Tanis' bail from previous cases is that he isn't allowed to have more than two dogs, humane officials said.
Tanis has been charged 279 times in Pennsylvania with animal neglect and abuse, and numerous times in New Jersey. | | Update posted on Feb 10, 2004 - 9:49AM |
Tanis, who ran an unlicensed kennel in Eaton Twp., Wyoming County, before 46 dogs and two cats were seized May 21, was found guilty of 29 counts of failing to have a dog three months of age or older vaccinated against rabies; seven counts of failing to license a dog over three months of age, and one count of not having a kennel license. All charges through dog law carry a fine of $50 with a $10 processing fee each.
Court officials said Tanis has 30 days to appeal District Justice Carl Smith's opinion and does not have to pay a fine yet. Tanis also faces charges filed by Susquehanna County Humane Society Police Officer and Shelter Manager Chad Weaver of animal cruelty including depriving animals access to clean and sanitary shelter, depriving animals of clean and sanitary shelter which protects them from inclement weather, preserving body heat and keeping them dry, depriving puppies of veterinary care, neglecting puppies to which he has the duty of care, keeping 10 puppies in unsanitary conditions and depriving them access to clean and sanitary shelter, and neglect.
The dogs, Weimaraners and Labradors, suffered from anemia, malnutrition and internal and external parasites when they were found.
A hearing on the animal cruelty charges was set for Aug. 13 as well, but will be rescheduled, court officials said. Tanis faces 90 days in jail per count against him if he is found guilty, and because of this, he has the right to an attorney, officials said. Tanis represented himself at last week's hearing.
Tanis moved his kennel to Mehoopany in March 2000, where he was watched by officials from Pennsylvania Dog Law before moving his kennel to Eaton Twp.
Tanis pled not guilty to all charges.
Read more: The Daily and Sunday Review | | Update posted on Aug 24, 2003 - 2:12PM |
References« PA State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Wyoming County, PA
|
