Approximately 62 animals neglected, two found dead
Lake Station, IN (US)Incident Date: Monday, May 1, 2006
County: Lake
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Robert Allen Zubik
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Police and animal-control officers raided a pet-shop owner's home on May 1 and seized nearly 50 abandoned dogs and a dozen other animals, including two macaws and a chinchilla.
Robert Zubik, 44, who owns a Portage pet store, was not at home at the time police executed a search warrant.
Lake Station Police Chief Michael Stills said Zubik could face multiple misdemeanor charges for animal neglect and abandonment. Stills expects the Lake County prosecutor's office to issue an arrest warrant for Zubik as early as May 2.
Police raided his home, in the 2200 block of Newton Street shortly after 11 a.m. Many of the pets removed from the house, garage and yard were malnourished, the chief said. Two dogs were found dead.
It's unclear how long the dogs - ranging from chihuahuas to German shepherds - had been at the house.
Stills said the raid was executed with the assistance of animal-control officers from Hobart and Merrillville.
Police obtained a search warrant after Lake Station animal control officer, John Grinder Jr., received information about the animals and foul conditions in Zubik's home.
All the animals have been released to the Hobart Humane Society.
Case UpdatesRobert Zubik says he's looking forward to his day in court.
The former pet shop owner holds the Lake Station record for incurring the most charges at one time: 278 counts of misdemeanor and ordinance violations.
Zubik, 45, was charged in May with animal neglect and maintaining a nuisance after Lake Station police executed a search warrant at his home and removed more than 70 dogs, rabbits, chinchillas and other pets from his home.
Authorities claimed the pets had been abandoned and neglected.
"How could I have abandoned the animals when I was living at the house?" Zubik asks.
Zubik is scheduled to appear in City Court on the misdemeanor neglect charges Feb. 27. A second hearing on the nuisance ordinance violations is set for March 13.
Zubik said the animals were stock from his now-closed Portage pet store.
He said he was temporarily boarding the animals at his home until they could be moved to a friend's farm in Wisconsin.
However, Lake Station City Judge Kristina Kantar ordered the Hobart Humane Society to dispose of the animals removed from Zubik's home.
Most were put up for adoption and placed with new owners.
"I want my animals back," Zubik said. "I should be the one who decides what happens to them."
A public defender will represent Zubik on misdemeanors charges. If convicted, he face court fines and possible jail time. | Source: Post-Tribune - Dec 31, 2006
Update posted on Jan 3, 2007 - 7:53PM |
When Bob Zubik arrived home from a doctor's appointment Monday, he found police, fire and animal control officers confiscating the animals he said he loved and cared for.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus spent more than three hours at Zubik's Lake Station home Monday, removing about 75 animals from the Newton Street residence, garage and yard.
Zubik said some of the animals came from his pet store, Portage Pet Center, which closed recently. Others he was keeping for friends, or were strays recently dropped off. He said many Lake Station officials knew he kept animals at his home, and sometimes called on him for help.
Zubik said he has severe health problems, and he acknowledges his home needs to be cleaned. But he said he was "very surprised" the animals had been confiscated.
"I've done rescue work for a long time," said Zubik, a veterinary technician. "I have nothing in life except for the dogs. ... I may not take good care of myself, but I take good care of the animals, and they are never lacking."
But Code Enforcement Officer Fred James said many of the animals were found living in their own feces. Some of the animals roamed free in the house and yard, but many animals, including some of the 50 dogs, were in small cages.
"They're in filth," James said. "It's horrible."
James said officers were responding to an anonymous complaint.
An ammonia stench could be smelled around the home as the animals were moved to the lawn.
There were so many animals that crews from the Hobart, Lake Station and Merrillville animal control offices had to make numerous trips to transport the animals to the Hobart Humane Society.
Lake Station Police Chief Mike Stills said there had been 31 calls for service to the home since 2003, including nine police reports taken in the last year. In addition to animal complaints, there had been domestic, battery and abandoned vehicle calls.
Stills said misdemeanor abandonment or neglect charges may be filed against Zubik in city court or through the Lake County prosecutor's office. City ordinance prohibits homeowners from having more than four dogs.
"They can charge for each individual (animal), if the situation warrants it," Stills said. "It's unfortunate they were left in this condition, especially by people who should know better."
It may be up to a judge to decide what happens to the animals, Stills said, although humane society representatives told police they may begin allowing them to be adopted in five days.
Zubik said he has hired an attorney and wants the animals back.
Zubik said his neighbors enjoyed the dogs, too, and would call him the "Pied Piper" when he would take 15 or 20 dogs on a walk to the park.
"It isn't right what they did. It's a slap in the face," Zubik said. "I want to get my dogs back." | Source: The Times Online - May 2, 2006
Update posted on May 2, 2006 - 4:23PM |
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