The Herkimer County Humane Society has its hands full, trying to help about 30 huskys. On Sept 6, the shelter was forced to take in the dogs after they were mistreated by their owners.
The shelter is looking for foster homes until the court case is cleared.
The dogs have been stored in temporary kennels.
"It's very important that we find foster homes or rescue groups for these animals because right now the situation is very bad leaving them outdoors in outdoor kennels which they do have a roof over their heads but if it rains or thunders this is not a good situation. They need to be placed in homes where they can get the adequate care," said Dottie Gaffey, Herkimer County Humane Society.
Gaffey said it's likely the dogs will be available for adoption soon, but for now, only temporary homes are needed.
If you would like more information on how you can help these dogs, you can call the Humane Society at (315) 866-3255. Case Updates"I have been dealing with this situation for about two years now," George Jones, dog control officer for the town of Little Falls, said. "Every time I have been here, there has been no water. He is feeding them, but not enough."
Jones said he has received numerous phone calls in the past two years from concerned citizens about the dogs. He said during those years, Conley has been cited for not having the dogs' shots up to date. He added Conley has appeared in court on several occasions and one time Jones recalled, the judge told Conley he could only keep 13 animals that he had at the time of his appearance and could add no more. On Tuesday, officials counted at least 31 dogs.
What Jones and a lot of other residents in the area had hoped for came to be on Tuesday when law enforcement officials from two different agencies came to take the animals from Conley.
Officers from both the state police and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation showed up at the property, located just west of the city of Little Falls, and began making plans for removal of the dogs. Both agencies had been investigating the property based on two separate complaints and by coincidence showed up at the Route 5 home of Conley at the same time. Trooper Michael Schell had just been to the home about two weeks earlier.
"I gave him 10 days to fix what needed to be done. He did not do that," he said.
Schell, along with DEC Officer Daryl Lucas, and an animal cruelty investigator from Oneida County, Kevin Thompson, walked along the fence Tuesday to try and figure out the best way to transport the animals. Some of the dogs barked if officials went too close to the fence, while others just watched. Dogs who were lucky enough laid in the shade. Other dogs were not so lucky. Some of the animals were attached to "igloo" type dog houses by chains that were barely long enough to get past their "home."
Some of those "homes" had roofs, while some looked as though they were crushed from the top inward. Officers said while they were at the property, one of the dogs leaped over the fence, ran around and then hopped back over the fence.
"That is a very dangerous situation," Schell said, noting that one of the dogs had recently been hit by a car.
With the hot sun beating down into the area, the smell of feces, urine and even death permeated the air, while faint sounds of whimpering could be heard from two puppies, found wedged beneath one of the dog houses. Empty silver bowls for water lay scattered about the area, and some were even upside down. There was no water in the bowls while officers were at the scene. Also scattered about were large plastic bowls, presumably used for food, that were also empty, upside down and dirty. Also missing was the dogs' owner, who was not at home at the time.
"He is aware of what is going on here," Schell said.
The first thing officers did was to contact a veterinarian who was called to the scene right away. The dogs were checked and according to Schell, the vet said the dogs were in relatively good shape, but were in need of water. Two other dogs were tied up to the porch of the residence, but were too vicious for investigators to get near, while a third dog, who Schell said was the dog who had been hit by a car and was sick, sat near the outside edge of the fence. Officials did not want to approach the dog, fearing perhaps it could be rabid. That dog eventually found its way to a ravine next to the property, Dottie Gaffey from the Humane Society said. Gaffey was at the Conley home as well on Tuesday.
After a lot of figuring and talking about the best place to send the animals, the solution was with the Herkimer County Humane Society, who took 27 of the animals. The other two dogs tied to the porch were going to need to be tranquilized and would be taken to Oneida County. Gaffey did not know what happened to the third and sickly dog.
Gaffey said all of the dogs were in good shape and to her relief, no dead dogs were found in the area, despite the smell of a dead animal. She along with the other officials loaded the dogs up and brought them to the shelter. And as always, once the animals are taken and one situation cleared up, another comes along -- finding homes, even if only temporary, for 27 dogs.
That dubious task now falls to the humane society.
"I have been in contact with some rescue groups who specialize in the husky breed, but they will only be able to take around 12," she said, leaving 15 others at the shelter.
"We really need some foster homes for these dogs," Gaffey said. "They are doing pretty good and we have started giving them their shots. The foster homes will be temporary however, until the outcome of the court proceedings."
She said the dogs are in need of some socializing, and there are a few that she is concerned about in regards to their health, but all in all, they seem fine. At least 10 of the dogs had to have their metal chains cut off from around their necks with bolt cutters.
Her main concern right now is finding homes for the animals. The humane society is presently overcrowded with dogs as well as cats, but as always, takes in the animals that no one else wants.
The humane society will not be the only ones who will bear the brunt of the dogs. Most of the responsibility, for now, will lie with the town of Little Falls. Along with Jones, the town supervisor, Bob Gardinier, was also at the scene Tuesday.
"This will be a big cost to the town, but we could not let this situation go on any longer," Gardinier said.
Conley will be charged with failure to provide food and water to impounded animals violation of Agriculture and Market laws. More charges, troopers said, are pending. | Source: Little Falls Tribune - Sept 10, 2005
Update posted on Sep 12, 2005 - 4:58PM |
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