Post by Brooke on Jan 31, 2004 0:39:40 GMT -5
STEVEN S. HARMAN / STAFF
A pregnant dog is examined yesterday as volunteers and staff at the Williamson County Animal Shelter try to identify needs of the more than pets removed Thursday from a Franklin dog breeder's home.
By MITCHELL KLINE
Staff Writer
FRANKLIN — Two litters of puppies competed for one mother's milk inside a small room in the Williamson County Animal Shelter yesterday, as dozens of other puppies slept nestled together nearby.
It would have been a tender scene had it not been for the tiny dead puppy lying on a countertop — one of 230 animals removed Thursday night from a Franklin dog breeder's home.
The animal shelter was closed yesterday and phone calls went unanswered while every Williamson County Animal Control Department employee and volunteer tended to the new residents' needs.
Some of the animals needed food, others needed water and many were in need of vaccinations.
Kevin Riley, an animal control officer, nicknamed the room with the puppies the ''maternity ward.'' It was the only quiet place in the shelter.
Hallways were lined with pens containing small, white dogs tagged ''Case Evidence, do not touch, move or remove.'' Rooms used for storing files, taking breaks and examinations were packed with dogs.
Trucks usually kept in the garage bay were moved out so that more than 100 dogs and cats, stacked three rows high in more than 50 cages, could be kept warm.
A reported 186 dogs, 30 puppies and 14 cats were taken from 2235 Bowman Road in Franklin, the home of Jennifer Siliski and her four children, according to District Attorney Ron Davis.
Siliski is a breeder of toy Maltese dogs and owner of Hollybelle's Maltese.
Davis said Siliski had not been arrested or charged with a crime. ''At this point we are going to look at all the evidence and photos we have in the case and make some type of decision,'' Davis said. ''What we'll probably do is present the case to a grand jury and get an indictment.''
The dogs will remain at the shelter until the case is presented to a judge.
According to Siliski's Web site, www.hmaltese.com, the dogs come from a rare line of championship show dogs registered with the American Kennel Club. The site lists more than 30 dogs from Hollybelle's that have won championships. Attempts to contact Siliski failed.
Her Web site warns prospective dog buyers to buy from an ''ethical dog breeder who believes in quality not quantity.''
Animal control officials said Siliski had more animals than she could handle.
''We found dogs in very unsanitary conditions and very crowded living conditions,'' said Debbie Leddy, assistant director of Williamson County Animal Control. ''At least three dogs were in imminent danger of dying.''
One dog died yesterday morning and another was rushed to an animal hospital.
State law doesn't limit the number of animals a person can own, but it requires pet owners to properly care for the animals they have, Leddy said.
It took animal control officers, Williamson County sheriff's deputies and state attorneys more than 12 hours to transport, count and log all the animals taken from Siliski's home.
A search warrant was used to enter the house and confiscate the dogs. Davis said two housekeepers who had worked at Siliski's home came forward with complaints about unsanitary conditions. Leddy said she had received several complaints from neighbors about foul smells coming from the home over the past two years.
Judy Ladebauche, director of Metro Animal Services and formerly director of Williamson County Animal Control, lives near Siliski and said she had gotten complaints for at least five years. ''When I was director back in 1998, we found a white Maltese in the Harpeth River, near Forrest Crossing (subdivision),'' Ladebauche said. ''The dog was tracked back to Jenny Siliski, and we had gotten some complaints about bad conditions there.''
Ladebauche said she searched Siliski's house in 1998 with Franklin police officers and found only four dogs and clean conditions.
Leddy said animal control officers could not get a search warrant based solely on a neighbor's complaints about odors. She said several people who had recently purchased dogs from Siliski complained that the dogs were sick and did not appear to be the purebred pups they paid for.
Lainie Cantrell, public relations director for the American Kennel Club in New York City, said Siliski had registered dogs in the past. The AKC sanctions 15,000 dog shows a year and maintains registrations of purebred dogs.
The organization inspects breeding facilities, but Cantrell said she did not know if Siliski's home had ever been inspected.
''I can say that until this matter is resolved, we will not be registering any of her dogs,'' Cantrell said.
The Williamson County Animal Shelter has received dozens of calls from people wanting to adopt the dogs or offer donations. The dogs are not available for adoption, but the shelter is accepting donations.
Leddy said the shelter also needs dog and puppy food, clean towels, shampoo and money. Donations may be sent to the shelter in care of Debbie Leddy, 138 Claude Yates Drive, Franklin, Tenn. 37064.
Kids taken from home
State Department of Children's Services officials removed four children last night from a Franklin home where 230 animals had been confiscated Thursday by local officials.
Williamson County Sheriff Ricky Headley said the removals came about 7 p.m. on a judge's order ''because of unsanitary and unhealthy conditions in the house'' on Bowman Road.
Headley said the children would remain in DCS care at least through the weekend until a later hearing can determine whether they should be returned.
— Mitchell Kline