Neglect alleged at animal rescue - 60 dogs seized
Lakeside, CA (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010
County: San Diego
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Alice Via
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
A do-it-yourself animal rescuer keeping 60 dogs penned inside her 750-square-foot East County house was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of animal cruelty and neglect.
Authorities found the canines -- mostly boxers and Chihuahuas, along with a few small terriers -- in dirty cages stacked throughout 65-year-old Alice Via's two-bedroom Moreno Avenue home, Dan DeSousa of San Diego County Animal Services said.
"Many of the dogs have skin conditions, upper respiratory disease or other illnesses," DeSousa said. "In addition, most ... have injuries to their feet and noses from trying to escape from their crates."
Veterinarians evaluated the animals before taking them to various county shelters.
Via is expected to face numerous animal cruelty and neglect charges, according to DeSousa.
"These dogs were kept in crates, from what we're being told, up to 23 hours a day," he said. "It's not the life for an animal."
People without a kennel license -- which Via lacked -- are limited to a maximum of six dogs per residential property in the county, DeSousa noted.
Despite the "appalling" conditions in the house, Via, who runs the private shelter and dog-adoption service under the name San Diego Boxer Rescue, apparently "had the best of intentions" in taking in the canines, DeSousa said. The animals were well-fed, though many had no water in their cages.
"She got way in over her head," DeSousa added. "She had nobody to help her."
The county was tipped off to the situation at Via's home by a prospective animal adopter who went there several days ago and was disgusted by the "overpowering" smell and other unsanitary conditions, the spokesman said.
Case UpdatesAllegations of animal cruelty levied against the woman who ran San Diego County's only boxer rescue are completely unfounded and untrue, according to her attorney.
Friends of Alice Via showed up outside the downtown courthouse Thursday with their dogs to support the Lakeside resident who faces misdemeanor charges for failing to properly care for more than 60 rescued dogs at her home.
Via rescued the animals from adverse conditions and boarded several animals for military personnel who are currently serving overseas, said her attorney Chris Morris.
"She cared for these animals like her own, like her children," Morris said.
However in March 2010, San Diego County Animal Services raided Via's property, acting on a tip from a woman who visited the home to adopt one of Via's dogs.
The woman reported "horrific conditions" according to county officials.
When county officials arrived at the home on March 10, they found 60 dogs living in a two room home, kept in crates nearly 23 hours a day.
Many of the animals suffered skin and upper respiratory infections and scraped paws from trying to dig out of their crates, county officials said.
Via was taken into custody and charged with animal neglect.
After her arraignment , Via's attorney said the raid happened at 7 a.m., before his client's morning routine of feeding and exercising the dogs had begun.
As for the dogs' condition, Morris said animals come to animal rescue to be rescued. "Some of these animals have been freshly rescued so they're not in the best conditions," he said.
Charlene Morgan who adopted her dog Emmy from the boxer rescue said that Via took the unwanted dogs the animal shelter won't take and found them homes.
"Alice has always been in it for the dogs and only for the dogs," Morgan said. "She's a saint in our book."
Adele Hall met Via 15 years ago. She's adopted two dogs from Via and has spent time visiting the home raided by county officials.
"The only [dogs] that are skinny are the ones she just got, that were abused," Hall said.
"The whole thing is just a sham. It's just ridiculous," she said.
In the raid, four of Via's personal animals were also seized. Three of the four were returned to her. One of the animals died in the shelter.
As for the other dogs seized in the raid, the county is working to determine which animals were being boarded and which were rescue animals.
Via's attorney said his client's labor of love -- running an animal rescue for 17 years -- has quickly become a big mistake.
"This is a woman who has dedicated her life to saving animals. She thought she was doing something for her community," Morris said.
The judge set a trial date for August 16. | Source: NBC San Diego - July 8, 2010
Update posted on Jul 8, 2010 - 3:24PM |
Dozens of dogs taken from the home of a Lakeside woman charged with failing to properly care for the canines can be given away, a judge ruled Friday.
In March, animal control officers found 63 dogs -- mostly boxers, Chihuahuas and a few small terriers -- in dirty cages stacked throughout 65-year-old Alice Via's two-bedroom, 750-square-foot home on Moreno Avenue, said Dan DeSousa of San Diego County Animal Services.
At the time, many of the dogs had skin conditions and other illnesses, along with injuries to their feet and noses from trying to escape from their cages, according to DeSousa.
Despite the "appalling" conditions in the house, Via apparently "had the best of intentions" in taking in the canines, which were well-fed, DeSousa said.
On Friday, El Cajon Judge Allan Preckel ruled that animal control officials can start placing the dogs in new homes.
He also said three of Via's personal dogs could be returned to her as long as officials are able to check on their welfare.
At the time the dogs were seized, Via was running a private shelter and dog-adoption service under the name San Diego Boxer Rescue but did not have a kennel license to do so, DeSousa said.
Via is scheduled to be arraigned July 8 on misdemeanors charges of having an unlawful kennel, keeping animals in unsanitary conditions, failing to treat contagious animals and failure to care for an animal, said Deputy District Attorney Richard Huffman II. | Source: 10 News - July 2, 2010
Update posted on Jul 8, 2010 - 3:22PM |
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