 Puppy mill - 16 dogs
Chester, CT (US)Date: Jun 23, 2004
County: Middlesex
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Allen Diaz, Jr
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Allen Diaz Jr., 22, was arrested on 19 counts of animal cruelty after 19 dogs were seized from his home.
Ten pit bulls and six Rottweilers were taken, about half were found to be in poor condition, with numerous untreated dog bites, abscesses from old wounds, ticks and fleas, said Bruce Gresczyk, commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture, which regulates domestic dogs.
Diaz, who faces one year in jail or a $1,000 fine on each cruelty charge, was also charged with failure to vaccinate six dogs against rabies, and failure to license 19 dogs.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said his office would seek a court order Monday to take custody of the dogs and would try to find homes for them within two weeks.
"An effort was made to persuade Mr. Diaz to voluntarily surrender the dogs, but the agreement failed at the last minute," Blumenthal said.
The dogs seized Friday went willingly, coaxed along with nothing more than a pat on the head or a biscuit.
The dogs came to the attention of the agriculture department when Chester animal control officer Robert Jenkins asked for state assistance in the case, stated First Selectman Martin Heft.
Diaz began the breeding operation two years ago, but recently lost his job at a Clinton factory. State agriculture officials said as a result, Diaz was unable to afford to care for the animals and failed to relicense the operation.
Although pit bulls are often associated with dog fights, there are no signs that was the case in this situation, Gresczyk said.
As the dogs were led away, some were noticeably thin with poor coats, while others had no obvious problems.
"These animals have a wonderful disposition," Gresczyk said. "They'll definitely make nice pets for people." Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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