Case Snapshot
Case ID: 5510
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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CONVICTED: Was justice served?

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Case #5510 Rating: 3.0 out of 5



Sunday, Jan 31, 1999

County: Somerset

Disposition: Convicted

Defendants/Suspects:
» David Holtzman
» Timothy B. Schliesser

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Two Somerset County dog breeders will appear in federal court on Aug 11, 2005 to answer to charges that they transported sick puppies to unsuspecting buyers in other states and made up a fake veterinarian to help them do it.

David Holtzman and Timothy B. Schliesser, who ran a business on Sheep Ridge Road in Somerset under the names Laurel Ridge Bulldogs and T&D Quality Pups, were indicted last month on charges of conspiracy and false documents.

According to U.S. postal inspectors, Holtzman and Schliesser used falsified health certificates from a fictitious veterinarian to sell and transport puppies by air in 1999 and 2000 to customers in California, Washington state and elsewhere.

The charges largely mirror a civil lawsuit brought against the men in 2001 by the state attorney general's office that accused them of ripping off at least 20 people in 14 states.

The lawsuit charged both with breeding and selling English bulldogs, pugs and cockapoos at an unlicensed kennel.

They were also accused of violating the state's consumer protection law, Animal Welfare Act and the Dog Purchaser Protection Act.


Case Updates

Twice bitten for illegally running a puppy supplying operation, two Somerset County men avoided federal prison Thursday after striking a deal with federal prosecutors.

Originally accused of knowingly shipping sick canines to unsuspecting customers nationwide, David Holtzman and Timothy Schliesser, both of Somerset, were given probation by U.S. District Judge Joy Flowers Conti. They pleaded guilty in July to operating as dog breeders without a license.

Holtzman, a former 15-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police, received three years' probation, three months' house arrest and 60 hours of community service.

Schliesser, a suspended U.S. Postal carrier, received three years' probation, three months' home detention, 30 hours of community service and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.

"I'm not saying I didn't make a mistake, that I didn't cut corners. But I've definitely learned from my mistake," Holtzman said in court. "I've lost my career, my family has suffered, and I've suffered financially."

From December 1999 through August 2000, the men advertised in magazines, newspapers and on the Internet to sell "healthy" English bulldog, cockapoo and pug puppies, court documents state. The animals had infections, infestations and other health defects.

Prosecutors described the operation as a "puppy mill."

"This is not a puppy-mill case," said defense attorney Wayne DeLuca. He said the kennel was licensed and inspected twice a year.

DeLuca said Holtzman and Schliesser made a mistake by providing puppies to a Monroeville pet store without a wholesale license. He acknowledged they used fake veterinarian documents nine times, because of pressure from demanding customers.

Then-state Attorney General Mike Fisher sued Holtzman and Schliesser in 2001 for illegally housing, advertising, selling and transporting dogs. A court barred the men from operating a breeding business until at least 2007 and ordered them to pay almost $16,000 in restitution, civil penalties and fees.

In 2002, Fisher charged Schliesser with contempt, saying Schliesser was back in business within two weeks of the court order.
Source: Pittsburgh Live - Nov 30, 2006
Update posted on Dec 3, 2006 - 11:49PM 
Two men who pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor of selling puppies without a valid license face up to six months in prison.

David Holtzman and Timothy Schliesser, both 43, of Somerset County, had been indicted on felony conspiracy charges, but federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh reduced those charges and the men pleaded guilty to the lesser charge on Monday.

Prosecutors said the men faked health certificates for the cockapoo, bulldog and pug puppies they shipped out of western Pennsylvania from December 1999 through October 2001. The men advertised the puppies for sale over the Internet and in newspapers.

Customers reported many of the dogs arrived with worms or mites and some were taken from their mothers too soon. The men reached a deal with state prosecutors in 2002 to stop doing business in Pennsylvania until next year.

At the time the charges were filed, Holtzman was a state trooper at the Somerset barracks. He is no longer employed at the Somerset barracks, a public communications officer confirmed.

They will be sentenced on the federal misdemeanor charge Nov. 16.
Source: Daily American - July 26, 2006
Update posted on Jul 28, 2006 - 12:14AM 
Two men accused of running a Somerset County puppy mill are expected to plead guilty today in federal court.

Charges against David Holtzman and Timothy Schliesser, both of Somerset, were downgraded last week to operating as dog breeders without a license. Originally, the men faced more serious charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and making false statements, specifically using health certificates from a fictitious veterinarian to comply with federal airline regulations and to allay customers' concerns.

From December 1999 through August 2000, Holtzman and Schliesser placed advertisements in various magazines and newspapers as well as on the Internet to sell healthy English bulldog, cockapoo and pug puppies, court documents state. Prosecutors say Holtzman and Schliesser knew the "healthy" claim was a lie. Instead, the animals had infections, were infested with organisms and suffered various other health defects, authorities say.

The men did business as Sheep Ridge Pugs, TBS Industries, Laurel Ridge Pups, T&D Quality Puppies and T&D Quality Pups. When dealing with customers, they used the name Bruce Mostoller -- a relative of Schliesser's who died in 1957.

Using the Internet, Holtzman and Schliesser sold more than $6,000 worth of puppies and shipped them through Pittsburgh International Airport and Johnstown Airport to places as far away as Washington and California, prosecutors say.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher sued Holtzman and Schliesser in 2001, accusing them of illegally housing, advertising, selling and transporting English bulldogs, cockapoos, pugs and other breeds. The lawsuit said they falsified health documents and failed to pay sales tax for transactions involving nearly 20 in-state customers and 13 in other states.

The men are barred from operating a breeding business until at least 2007 and were ordered to pay nearly $16,000 in restitution, civil penalties and fees.

Fisher charged Schliesser with contempt of court in 2002, saying he violated the court order barring him from advertising and doing business as a dog breeder. The lawsuit said Schliesser was back in business within two weeks after the court order was issued.

State and federal officials have labeled the two as puppy mill operators. Pennsylvania has long been considered a hot-bed for puppy mills. Lancaster County is believed to have the highest concentration of puppy mills of any county in the nation.

In May, Gov. Ed Rendell fired the state's 14-member Dog Law Advisory Board, claiming the group had been ineffective.

Puppy mills are large commercial dog breeding businesses that disregard the health of the animals to maximize profits. Dogs are bred as frequently as possible, usually receive little or no veterinary care and are often killed once their reproductive capacity drops off. Other problems associated with puppy mills include overbreeding, inbreeding, inadequate food and shelter, minimal human socialization and overcrowded cages, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune Review - July 24, 2006
Update posted on Jul 24, 2006 - 12:08AM 

References

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