Attorneys/Judges
| Defense(s): | Bruce Cassidy |
Puppy Mill - 34 dogs seized from illegal kennel
New Hope, PA (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Apr 22, 2010
County: Bucks
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Grace Lossman
Authorities removed 34 dogs and one cat from the rented property on Aquetong Road.
Grace Lossman, accused of running an illegal kennel from her rented home on Aquetong Road, will be cited with multiple animal cruelty and state dog law violations, officials said Wednesday.
The Bucks County SPCA's humane officer, Kathy Myron, said she is filing 35 citations against Lossman for offenses ranging from lack of water to unsanitary living conditions. Dog law violation charges will also be filed against Lossman for failure to have 34 dogs and one cat properly vaccinated and for failure to have the dogs licensed.
She will also be charged with operating an illegal kennel. State law requires anyone with more than 25 dogs on their premises to have a kennel license, said Myron.
Lossman said she wants to tell her side of the story but had to get approval from her Princeton attorney, Bruce Cassidy, who was unavailable Wednesday.
A computer professional, Lossman said she raises "highly skilled performance dogs." Asked if she sells the standard poodles, Lossman said she occasionally will sell a puppy to "a very good person," but said the dogs are her pets.
If she's found guilty, Lossman could face fines ranging from $50 to $750 on the cruelty citations and be forced to forfeit ownership of the animals, allowing them to be adopted. It was unclear what the penalties are for the dog law violations. She will have 10 days to respond to the citations.
Prompted by the landlord's concerns about the condition of the house, which the landlord described as "filthy, disgusting," Solebury police obtained a search warrant last week and entered the home.
SPCA officials and the state Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement joined police in a raid of the property. Inside they encountered more than 40 dogs and three cats and a strong odor.
The floors were covered in feces, urine, bone fragments and garbage. Some animals were reportedly in crates without standing room.
Thirty-four of the dogs and the cat were taken to the SPCA, where they were examined by a veterinarian and found to be in fair health, said Myron. Twelve dogs were left in Lossman's care. Myron said five were in a room with "better conditions" and the other was a mother with young puppies who were already "stressed."
Although the dogs were not underweight, Myron said, the law identifies several other areas of cruelty, including deprivation of water and access to clean and necessary shelter. References |
