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Case ID: 9310
Classification: Hoarding, Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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Puppy mill/Hoarding - 250 animals seized
Decatur, TX (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Jul 17, 2006
County: Wise

Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 21 files available

Alleged:
» Sheri Jo Berend
» Morris Berend

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

An estimated 250 dogs, most of them Jack Russell or Rat terriers, were rescued from sordid and crowded conditions Monday at the rural home of an animal control officer employed by the city of Decatur, officials said.

Wise County officials enlisted the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Texas to remove the dogs from the home, located in the 2500 block of Greenwood Road, northeast of Decatur.

Sheriff David Walker referred questions to the SPCA. The group's president, James Bias, confirmed the property is owned by Sherri Jo Berend, 52, who is an animal control officer for the city.

Bias said Berend and her husband, Morris, 58, were breeding Jack Russell terriers, and she was reportedly involved in "rescue'' organizations that help find homes for dogs that are no longer wanted or actually abandoned.

But conditions at the couple's property violated state law that prohibits the cruel confinement of animals. Bias said the couple were living in a trailer, while their home was turned over to the dogs.

"There is wall-to-wall urine and feces, and in one room, there were a couple of dead puppies which were put up on a shelf,�� Bias said. "I would think that anybody in breeding and selling should know better, and certainly an animal control officer should know the law.''

Decatur Police Chief Rex Hoskins stated Sheri Berend has been a licensed animal control officer since December 2005.

"She works for me,'' he stated. "She's a good employee and very diligent in her work; we've had no complaints about her.

"Our shelter, as far as we know, is in order. This deal out at her residence - we had nothing to do with and no knowledge of it until a couple weeks ago.''

Hoskins stated  it would be up to the sheriff's department to determine whether the Berends would be cited for animal cruelty.

"We'll wait and see if there needs to be disciplinary action after everything is settled,'' Hoskins stated. "If they take legal action, it could possibly affect her animal control license through the state, but I don't know that for certain.''

Most of the dogs were being held in dog crates, wire cages and dog pens in the back yard, Bias stated.

Sheriff's officials have been working with the Berends for about two months to get them into compliance, he added, but the couple made little progress.

The Berends told officials they had a breeding operation called Oak Grove Kennels, Bias stated. He noted that they are promoted on a website, www.fantasticdogs.com, which proclaims ethical breeding practices.

The information, in part, states: "NO puppy farms. NO inhumane treatment. NO profit before health and well-being. YES to healthy, home-raised puppies looking for loving families to call their own.''

Bias added, however, that the operation outgrew their resources. He also said there were signs of "animal collecting'' or "animal hoarding'' -- a mental illness in which people compulsively take in unusually large numbers of animals.

"They believe they are truly helping these animals, but they cannot see there is a problem,'' said Maura Davies, SPCA spokeswoman. "It is a compulsive behavior that worsens over time. It needs to be treated with psychiatric help.''

Bias stated he visited with the couple.

"Neither one of them will admit to a problem,'' he stated. "They become non-responsive and focus in on something else and talk about their love for the animals.

"He says there are 170 of them and she says 150, but we're thinking nearly 250. An average animal shelter doesn't have that capacity or the ability to care for it, and that's even with a lot of paid staff and volunteers.''

The SPCA, headquartered in Dallas, also has a facility in Collin County where the dogs will be bathed and given medical evaluations. Meanwhile, a court in Wise County has been asked to award custody of the dogs to SPCA, Bias said.

If a judge agrees to do that during a hearing next week, the dogs will be spayed or neutered and will eventually become available for adoptions.

"It may take a few weeks,'' Bias said, "but it could take months in rehabilitation before some of them are available for adoption.

"A number of them have skin issues and fleas.''


Case Updates

Sherri Jo Berend was arrested for animal cruelty Friday, four days after 271 dogs were seized from her home near Decatur.

Berend turned herself in to the Wise County Sheriff�s office Friday morning after a warrant was issued for her arrest on one charge of cruelty to animals. She immediately posted the $3,000 bail with her attorney, Stephen Wren of Decatur, and was released.

On Monday, Wise County animal control officers and members of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) seized 271 dogs, mostly Jack Russell terriers, from Berend�s rural home northeast of Decatur.

Investigators said Berend had been warned several times over the past few months to clean up her property and reduce the number of dogs. The investigation into possible animal cruelty started from complaints by neighbors.

Berend�s property included hundreds of dogs in pens with dirty water and some without adequate shade, investigators said. Also, several dogs, including two dead dogs, were found in the home that was filled with feces, urine and hair, SPCA of Texas president James Bias said. Berend and her husband, Morris, had moved out of the home and into a travel trailer on the property a few weeks prior to the seizure.

Wise County animal control officer Cathy Sides said that after meeting with County Attorney Greg Lowery, officials decided to only file charges on Sherri Jo Berend and not her husband.

A civil hearing to determine if Berend should be awarded custody of the dogs or if they should remain with the SPCA and made available for adoption will be held Wednesday morning at the office of Precinct One Justice of the Peace Jan Morrow�s office.

Berend, who is also the city of Decatur�s animal control officer, was placed on unpaid administrative leave Thursday, police chief Rex Hoskins said.

�She will remain (on administrative leave) until everything�s disposed of,� Hoskins said, referring to the criminal investigation.

Hoskins said that other officers will handle animal calls in the meantime, and former city animal control officer Monty Fitzgerald will assist the city with their animal shelter. Hoskins added that the internal investigation into the city�s animal shelter has not revealed any problems.

�So far everything has checked out,� he said Friday. �We were looking to make sure our animals were taken care of. There was no evidence that any of our animals were received out at (Berend�s) place.�

Since Monday, the seized dogs have been held at the SPCA�s Collin County facility in McKinney.

The younger dogs and those who are in need of close attention are being kept in an air-conditioned barn. The rest of the dogs are being kept in pens under large tents with air flow being provided by large electric fans to help keep the dogs cool.

All have been checked by veterinarians. The condition report on the dogs is expected to be given at Wednesday�s hearing. Sides said one dog had an injured leg from a recent surgery to remove several warts, and one dog was prolapsing Monday, a condition in which internal organs come out of the mother dog after she�s given birth to puppies.

Maura Davies with the SPCA said Friday that none of the dogs appeared to be in poor condition, but the dogs could still be awarded to the SPCA if they were found to be cruelly confined.

Sides said that she had received several calls from people who said Berend was keeping their dogs. She said anyone making that claim must show proof of ownership, and the dogs would most likely not be returned until after the outcome of Wednesday�s hearing.

Calls have also been received from Jack Russell terrier breeders wanting to know about the possibility of adopting some of the dogs. However, if the SPCA is awarded custody, all dogs will be spayed or neutered before they are adopted.

The sheriff�s office has also been investigating possible harassment charges stemming from Monday�s seizure. Wise County Sheriff David Walker said he has received complaints that some of Berend�s family members have been calling and text messaging people in the area whom they suspect made the initial complaint about the dogs.

�We talked to her (Berend�s) attorney and he will talk to the family and tell them to stop,� Walker said.

No charges had been filed in that investigation Friday.
Source: Wise County Messenger - July 23, 2006
Update posted on Jul 23, 2006 - 10:58PM 

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