Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Illegal puppy mill shut down by authorities

Illegal puppy mill shut down by authorities
Davenport, FL (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Jun 22, 2005
County: Polk
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted

Abuser/Suspect: Colleen L Ross

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Case ID: 6252

Classification: Unlawful Trade/Smuggling, Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

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On June 22, 2005, detectives executed a search warrant at Ross' home based on the reports they received and an undercover buy - the dog purchased by the undercover deputy did not test positive for parvo but did not have the state-required health certificate. Reports were received from people all over the state who had purchased puppies from Ross. Ross had advertised the puppies for sale in the Tampa Tribune classified ads. When interested parties called, Ross arranged to meet them in public locations, often using an alias and never revealing where she lived. On the occasions where the sold puppies got sick or died, Ross would not answer phone calls.

The puppies were sold from $500 and up, and during the search warrant detectives confiscated over $39,000 in cash from puppy sales. Detectives also found 9 altered veterinary certificates. Based on these findings, they obtained an arrest warrant for Ross and placed her under arrest at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 2, 2005.

Ross has been charged with: 1 count Felony Organized Fraud (for misrepresenting the healthy dogs and taking in money); 1 count Not Keeping Correct Records; 9 counts Altering Veterinary Certificates; numerous counts of Merchandising Dogs without Official Veterinary Certificates.

The animals taken from Ross' home will be checked out by Polk County Sheriff's Animal Control veterinary staff and then turned over to the Florida Poodle Rescue until a trial takes place to determine custody of the animals. There have been no visible signs of neglect to the animals although purchasers have said the puppies they purchased were dirty and had fleas. The investigation is ongoing.

"We believe that there may be other puppy mills operating in the county. We hope that others who try to operate this way will learn the serious consequences of selling puppies illegally," said Sheriff Grady Judd. "The proper care and concern for the well-being of animals is taken very seriously by our Animal Control officers. We know there are victims from throughout the state of Florida, and we encourage them to come forward."

If you feel you may have been a victim of Colleen Ross, who uses at least one known alias of Lou Ann Hefner and operates out of Polk County, please contact the Polk County Sheriff's Office at 863-533-0344.

Case Updates

A Davenport woman who was accused of selling sick puppies with fake veterinary certificates pleaded no contest Monday to one count of possessing a counterfeit animal health document and two counts of failure to supply veterinary certificates.

Colleen Ross, 50, was adjudicated guilty by Circuit Judge Steven Selph and sentenced to five years' probation, according to Chip Thullbery of the State Attorney's Office.

She was ordered to pay $13,562 in restitution to 16 victims, to whom she had sold sick or dying dogs.

She was also ordered to not be involved in any business dealing with the sale or care of animals.

Ross was originally charged with scheming to defraud, possessing or passing counterfeit animal health documents, failure to keep proper records regarding the sale of dogs and failure to keep veterinary certificates.

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Ross ran a puppy mill and sold puppies that she claimed were purebred and healthy.

The Sheriff's Office received a number of complaints from people who told them that Ross sold them puppies that were ill with the canine disease parvo, and many of the dogs died.

She also provided them with veterinarian's certificiates that had been altered, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The puppies were sold for $500 or more, according to the Sheriff's Office.

One woman bought three Shih Tzu puppies from Ross, who gave the name Lou Ann Hefner when she sold the dogs, according to a sheriff's report. Ross gave the woman handwritten papers with dates that the dogs were born and dates that vaccinations were supposedly given.

The day after the woman bought them, all three became sick and all died shortly afterward of parvo.

A man who owned a Daytona Beach pet store bought what he thought were five healthy Chihuahua puppies from Ross in 2004, according to the sheriff's report. All five dogs died of parvo within several days and Ross refused to refund the man's money, the report said. Also, Ross claimed the dogs were purebred when actually they were a poodle- Chihuahua mix, according to the victim's veterinarian.

Source: The Ledger - Jan 9, 2007
Update posted on Jan 11, 2007 - 12:42AM

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The plea bargain was cancelled when Ross fired her attorney and hired a new one. At this time, Ross is not facing state charges for the falsified health certificates that the Sheriff took into evidence. Ross is reportedly trying to get her dogs back. She has a trial date set for Jan 8, 2007.

Source: case number 53-2005-CF-005081
Update posted on Nov 24, 2006 - 8:50PM

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A 55-year-old woman accused of running a puppy mill and altering veterinary certificates accepted a plea deal Friday for five years' probation.

Colleen Ross pleaded no contest to possessing or uttering counterfeit animal health documents and failing to supply veterinary certificates. Her sentencing is set for March 10.

On July 2, deputies seized 64 dogs, $39,000 in cash and nine altered veterinary certificates from Ross' mobile home in Davenport, the Polk County Sheriff's Office reported.

The Sheriff's Office began investigating Ross in May upon receiving complaints from her customers. Some of the dogs that were sold died of parvo, a highly contagious disease.

As part of her agreement with prosecutors, Ross will allow the Sheriff's Office to continue inspecting her property, said Chip Thullbery, a spokesman with the State Attorney's Office in Bartow. Restitution has not yet been settled in the case, he said.

Source: The Ledger - Feb 4, 2006
Update posted on Feb 10, 2006 - 3:29PM

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Polk Co Sheriff's Department - July 2, 2005

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Illegal puppy mill shut down by authoritiesDavenport, FL (US)

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Illegal puppy mill shut down by authorities
Davenport, FL (US)