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Hoarding - 30 dogs, other small animals
Fayetteville, AR (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Jan 22, 2006
County: Washington
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available
Alleged:
» Jonathan VanSyckle
» Pamela Jean VanSyckle
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
A self proclaimed animal rescuer was cited on 40 counts of animal cruelty on Jan 23 after investigators discovered 30 dogs, a ferret, a chinchilla, a parrot and seven fish living in his Fayetteville apartment. "One of the small puppies had mange and weighed less than 2 pounds," said Fayetteville Animal Shelter Superintendent Jill Hatfield. "He had a really bad fever last night and died. The rest of the dogs are with us and are doing good. I'm taking five of the puppies home with me tonight because their mother quit feeding them."
According to Hatfield, investigators performed a conditions check of the apartment after seeking information regarding an animal rescue organization selling animals at a public location and on the Internet. "The smell was horrid," she said. "You didn't even have to walk inside to smell the urine and the feces."
Investigators reportedly discovered dogs crated and living in their own feces. Hatfield said several puppies were underweight and in need of immediate veterinary care. "These people didn't know how to take care of themselves, let alone 30 dogs," she said. "The chinchilla and the parrot are still at the apartment because they wouldn't surrender them. The ferret went to a real animal rescue organization and the fish went to a home."
The apartment resident and self-proclaimed animal rescuer was issued a citation for 40 counts of animal cruelty, unclean premises, failure to pay annual license fees and failure to vaccinate against rabies. The offenses are misdemeanors. Each offense has a maximum fine of $1,000 and one year in jail. "Anyone can be an animal rescuer," Hatfield said. "These people were in contact with other shelters to get more animals. They thought they could make a profit by hoarding, but there's no way they could be selling healthy animals."
Overall, 36 animals were surrendered to the Fayetteville Animal Services. All the animals are currently under the care of Fayetteville Animal Services Staff Veterinarian and will not be available for adoption until they have been cleared and given a certificate of health. "They're all temperamentally doing well," Hatfield said. "Right now we're concentrating on getting them healthy before we put them up for adoption."
Hatfield said two children were also removed from the residence due to unclean living conditions.
The dogs range in age from 3 weeks to 10 years, many of them rat terriers, Chihuahuas, Pekingese, Labrador retrievers, collies, dachshunds and several mixed breeds. The "Pets Are Forever" rescue Web site claims the animals were rescued from puppy mills and breeders. One of the Pekingese, "Sugar Boggar," is featured on the Web site as rescued. The web site also requests donations for assistance with his care. "Donations are great, but you need go to the shelter or breeding facility and check the conditions for yourself before giving money or adopting," Hatfield said. "These people would exchange the animals in public places, so the people meeting them would never see where the animals came from."
Hatfield urges anyone who sees or hears something strange to contact their local animal rescue organization. "A lot of people are hoarding animals across the country," she said. "This was a couple living in a townhouse-type residence, yet no one ever heard any barking or smelled anything. We were suspicious of some emails, so we investigated."
Case UpdatesBo, a Maltese dog barely weighing 7 pounds, was covered in feces, had 13 rotten teeth and a broken leg when Julie Schoerke bought him from a Fayetteville man last month. Schoerke, of Brentwood Tenn., believed she was getting Bo from a Maltese rescuer, but the dog was scared of people and in poor condition. The Web site where she found Bo claimed to rescue animals. The Schoerke family couldn't find a Maltese in Tennessee. Schoerke found one listed on the "Pets Are Forever Rescue" Web site, which was operated by Jonathan VanSyckle in Fayetteville.
VanSyckle, 30, was cited by the Fayetteville Animal Shelter in January for 40 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, 40 counts of unclean premises, failure to vaccinate for rabies and failure to pay city animal license fees. He is set for arraignment Feb. 17, 2006 in Fayetteville District Court. Officials found 49 animals living in filthy conditions with little food and water in a townhouse at 1753 E. Zion Road, VanSyckle's residence at the time, according to shelter officials. VanSyckle had been living at the residence for about six months and had probably been selling animals for four months. A woman and two 4-year-old boys were also living with him. The boys were taken into custody by the Department of Health and Human Services. | Source: The Morning News - February 10, 2006
Update posted on Feb 20, 2006 - 4:34PM |
30-year-old Jonathan VanSyckle of Fayetteville was cited for 40 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and other related counts after animal shelter officials found 49 animals living in filthy conditions with little food and water.
VanSyckle, of 1753 E. Zion Road, was also cited on 40 counts of unclean premises, failure to vaccinate for rabies and failure to pay city license fees. The misdemeanor counts can carry a fine of up to $1,000 and one year in jail.
Jill Hatfield, Fayetteville Animal Shelter superintendent, said she discovered the man's Web site, "Pets Are Forever Rescue" through e-mail sent to shelters searching for dogs and cats to "rescue" for adoption. Instead, the man was selling the animals for $75 to $350. On the Web site, they asked for donations and travel expenses to bring the dogs to someone, she said.
Hatfield tracked down VanSyckle through the Web site because it advertised about being at a store in Fayetteville to sell some animals.
Shelter employees went to the store and found the man with some dogs in horrible health and many smelled, Hatfield said. One 8-week-old puppy had mange and pneumonia so shelter officials took it from the store. The puppy weighed less than 2 pounds and died.
VanSyckle had filled out part of an application for a neutering program the shelter offers and they tracked him through an address on the form, Hatfield said. He lived in a two-bedroom townhouse with 37 dogs, a ferret, parrot, seven fish and a chinchilla living inside in crates and carriers, and three puppies living outside. The animals were in poor health, had poor skin, mange and ringworm, she said.
On the Pets Are Forever Rescue Web site, it said the animals they cared for were kept in their house as part of the family and each have their own individual kennel.
Hatfield said there hadn't been any complaints from the neighborhood about barking, any animal cruelty or odor problems. When shelter employees went into the home the animals didn't make any noise. Hatfield said they were probably scared or just too ill to make noise.
"The smell was horrible. The guys who went into the apartment are still having a hard time breathing. It was so bad. This is the worst case in Fayetteville."
Hatfield said VanSyckle had been living at the residence for about six months and had probably been selling animals for four months. A woman and two 4-year-old boys were also living in the townhouse. The boys were taken into custody by the Department of Health and Human Services, she said.
A woman from Minnesota called Hatfield after this information came out saying she gave money to "Pets Are Forever" and a Van Buren woman said she gave them some cats and wondered what happened to them.
"The sad thing is they could move and start this all over again. There's no felony record on him." | Source: NWA News - Jan 26, 2006
Update posted on Jan 26, 2006 - 11:06AM |
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