Case Details

Hoarding - over 100 dogs seized
Spring Mills, PA (US)

Date: Mar 1, 2004
Disposition: Dismissed
Case Images: 2 files available

Person of Interest: Avis Brech

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Case ID: 2048
Classification: Hoarding
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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More than 100 dogs were removed from a Spring Mills farm Monday and charges of animal cruelty are pending against two women whom officials believe were "trying to do a good thing and just got over their heads."

The investigation began when county dog warden Edward Lucas contacted John Matrisciano, the county's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals director, because he was having trouble contacting licensed kennel owner Avis Brech, of 1074 Upper Georges Valley Road, Spring Mills. The second woman's name could not be confirmed . Under Pennsylvania law, dog wardens are required to inspect kennels regularly.

Matrisciano and Lucas went to Brech's property Thursday and counted about 80 dogs housed there. Brech is only licensed to have 50 dogs, Matrisciano said. The two men then applied for a search warrant and on Monday removed 105 dogs, two horses and four cats from the property.

"I brought along two horse trailers, thinking that it would be enough," Matrisciano said. "But I had to go back and get a third trailer to carry all the animals out of there."

Over the years, Matrisciano said the SPCA had received a few complaints about Brech's farm. When they investigated, the situation there was "less than adequate but workable," he said. But when Brech did not respond to Lucas' requests for an inspection, Matrisciano decided to step in.

When they arrived at the property, Matrisciano said the smell of feces was overpowering and the sound of barking dogs echoed through the farm. Many of the dogs were emaciated and living in several inches of feces. Some were kept in crates, though most were in kennels in outbuildings on the property.

The majority of the dogs were hounds, but there also were greyhounds, Great Danes and terriers found, Matrisciano said.

The horses had burrs and mud matted into their coats, manes and tails. Their rib and hip bones were visible and both had problems with their hooves, Matrisciano said.

Matrisciano said all the animals found on the farm belong to Brech and the other woman; none were being boarded or were for sale. The youngest dogs were part of a litter of 6-month-old black and tan hounds, he said.

Brech willingly surrendered 64 of the dogs, Matrisciano said, after officials began removing the animals Monday. Of those, half were euthanized for health or personality problems.

Matrisciano said 19 of Brech's dogs are being housed at the SPCA's kennel in Centre Hall. The rest are being kept by kennels all over the region until officials can decide what will happen next.

Some of the dogs will be available for adoption. But those that weren't voluntarily surrendered might have to be given back if the women are acquitted of the charges, Matrisciano said.

Charges of animal cruelty, keeping animals in unsanitary conditions and related counts will be filed, he said.

Case Updates

The conviction of a Spring Mills woman on animal cruelty charges, which came after officials removed about 100 dogs from her property in March, was overturned on appeal Friday in Centre County court.
Source: Center Daily Times
Update posted on Jul 12, 2004 - 7:12AM 
Avis Brech, 63, who had been keeping more than 100 dogs on her farm faces fines of about $1,500 for animal cruelty and kennel violations after a hearing Tuesday March 30, 2004.

District Justice Tom Jordan heard about seven hours of testimony before finding 63-year-old Avis Brech guilty of six animal-cruelty violations -- one for an emaciated hound and five for unsanitary conditions. She was acquitted of four animal-cruelty violations.

Brech also pleaded guilty to three kennel violations: not keeping records correctly, not having proper ventilation and having unsafe fences. All of the violations were remedied by March 8, when state dog warden Edward Lucas re-inspected the property and renewed her kennel license, he said.

Officials who participated in the animal removal described filthy conditions at the farm, including an overpowering odor of urine and feces, a lack of food or food bowls in the kennels and piles of dog manure found throughout the farm and its four outbuildings.

"The kennels were in a horrible state. Dogs were living in several inches of feces," said John Matrisciano, Centre Hall's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officer.

Brech's lawyer LeDon Young blamed the "less than satisfactory conditions" on an especially snowy winter and said that after the raid, the farm was cleaned and the situation remedied in "less than a day."

Much of the testimony centered on three emaciated dogs for which Brech was cited. Two of the dogs -- both blue tick hounds -- were "rescued" dogs that arrived at the farm just a month or so before the raid, according to a witnesses called by Young.

The third dog, a hound named T-bird, came to the farm in November, according to testimony. Brech's friend Bev Schlaich, who lives with her, said he was a "very hyper dog" whose former owner gave him up when he proved to be an inadequate hunting dog.

In addition to acquitting her on four animal-cruelty violations, Jordan also ruled that Brech be allowed to reclaim three Great Danes seized from her property. A fourth Great Dane died while at the SPCA, according to testimony.

About 40 dogs of 64 dogs seized from Brech's property remain in shelters throughout the region, and Jordan ruled that Brech must forfeit those animals. The other 41 dogs taken from Brech's farm were willingly surrendered by Brech and will not be returned to her.

Young said she plans to appeal the six convictions.
Update posted on Mar 31, 2004 - 11:54AM 
Avis Brech, 63, faces a preliminary hearing on Tuesday on an animal cruelty citation. On March 1, 105 dogs and assorted other animals were seized from her farm after the Centre Hall SPCA reported the animals were living in squalid kennels piled high with feces. More than 30 of the dogs had to be put down.

Brech filed court papers this week saying the SPCA had barred her from visiting the shelter to feed her four Great Danes, including two 5-month-old puppies. Now, she wants those dogs back.

Brech's attorney, LeDon Young, told the Centre Daily Times of State College the four Great Danes were Brech's personal pets. Moreover, Young said, Brech has made improvements to her property that should allow her to get the dogs back. Young did not return a phone call Thursday from The Associated Press; there was no answer when the AP tried several times to call Brech at home.

Enter James R. Keiser, the Milton breeder who sold the two puppies to Brech and another woman back in January. Upon learning of the pups' fate, Keiser went to the SPCA to ask for them back, saying he was the rightful owner because Brech never finished paying for the puppies.

Read More: Update posted on Mar 24, 2004 - 8:30PM 

References

CenterDaily.com

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