Couple charged illegally selling puppies Norfolk, VA (US) Incident Date: Saturday, Jul 3, 2004 County: Norfolk City Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: » Thomas Kight - Not Charged » Debbie Kight - Convicted Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 2520 Classification: Unlawful Trade/Smuggling, Neglect / Abandonment Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in VA (US) Suspect was in animal welfare field Login to Watch this Case

A Newport News animal control officer and his wife have been charged with illegally selling puppies and keeping them in unsanitary conditions in their Norfolk home.

Thomas Kight and his wife, Debbie, were charged after a sting operation by Norfolk police - undercover officers answered an ad the couple placed in a newspaper and bought a $400 Shih Tzu puppy, said Norfolk animal control Officer Mark Kumpf. Police later searched the home and seized three other puppies - another Shih Tzu and two rat terriers.

The puppies weren't in bad shape physically, but were flea-infested and had urine and feces on them, Kumpf said. The cage where the puppies were kept had moldy feces and maggots, Kumpf said.

Three adult dogs that appeared to be family pets were in good health and were left with the couple, police said.

Thomas Kight has been an animal control officer with the Peninsula Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for more than 20 years, and has also helped with the wild animals at the shelter. He was suspended from his job Friday and the SPCA has launched an internal investigation.

Kight, 60, was charged Thursday with one count of animal cruelty, one count of importation of underage animals across state lines without their mother and selling animals without a health certificate.

Kight's wife, Debbie, 51, was charged with one count of animal cruelty, one count of selling companion animals without a permit, three counts of failure to license, three counts of failure to vaccinate and selling animals without a health certificate.

All the charges are misdemeanors.

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