Animal Abuse: Puppy mill - some dead, skulls hanging from trees - Boulder Creek, CA

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Case ID: 14226

Classification: Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

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Attorneys/Judges

Prosecutor(s):	Heather Jones, Steve Moore
Defense(s):	Mark Garver, Margaret Law, Alfons Wagner
Judge(s):	Jeff Almquist, William Kelsay, Paul Marigonda

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Case #14226 Rating: 2.3 out of 5

Puppy mill - some dead, skulls hanging from trees
Boulder Creek, CA (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, Jul 26, 2008
County: Santa Cruz

Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 4 files available

Defendant/Suspect: Robert Brunette

Case Updates: 15 update(s) available

Animal Service officers confiscated 38 dogs and puppies Saturday afternoon after finding "more dead dogs than we could count" and dog heads hanging from trees.

According to Tricia Geisreiter of Santa Cruz County Animal Services, a neighbor called to report that a resident on the 100 block of Hartman Creek Road was mistreating dogs. When animal control officers responded they found dead dogs and mistreated dogs. The resident was uncooperative so they returned Saturday with a search warrant and seven sheriff's deputies.

Sheriff's Sgt. Fred Plageman said the property owner fled from the back of the property.

"Some of the dogs were not well-behaved," Plageman said.

Inside the residence, officers found dead dogs at the foot of the bed and "feces everywhere."

Geisreiter said most of the dogs were in "pretty bad condition" and were scared and not friendly.

"They were literally living in dog crates, chained to the ground with no food, no water," she said.

Officers found 38 dogs who were alive and an unknown number of dead dogs and decomposing carcasses. Only one full carcass was found, the rest were body parts, including skulls hanging from trees, Geisreiter said.

"There were decapitated dogs heads all over the property, hanging from trees," she said. "We don't know how the dogs died or why their heads were cut off. We are investigating him for crimes against animals."

Officers found 2-day-old puppies as well as 4- and 6-week-old puppies. Apparently the man was advertising puppies for sale in San Jose and San Francisco, Geisreiter said.

Most of the dogs were cane corsos, mastiffs, labradors, rotweillers and other mixed breeds, she said.

One older dog was found inside the cab of a pickup, also without food and water. In a clearing on the property, officers found a large bag of dog food open for any dogs that weren't in cages.

Some of the dogs also had "quite a bit of fight scars on them that had been sutured together." Geisreiter said "we don't know that this gentleman was using them for fighting. Sometimes when animals are in huge packs, they will fight."

While animal services officers are doing their best to save the animals in their control, they don't know if any of the dogs are in particularly good condition.

"While we are caring for them right now, they are legally his until the DA (District Attorney) decides whether or not to prosecute," she said. "Maybe he will want to surrender some of the animals to us. Hypothetically we will be able to put them up for adoption."

District Attorney Bob Lee said he couldn't comment on the possible charges the man may face or the fate of the dogs until Animal Services officers turn over their investigation to the District Attorney's Office.

"The case isn't coming to us and won't be coming to us until at least Wednesday," Lee said.

Case Updates

A man convicted of animal cruelty in a dog-breeding operation in Boulder Creek must pay $127,331 to Santa Cruz County Animal Services, an appellate judge ruled this week.

The money is to reimburse the agency for the rescue and care of more than 50 dogs from Robert Brunette's home on Hartman Creek Road in 2008.

Brunette had challenged a Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge's decision to award the restitution amount, but a Sixth Circuit appellate judge Wednesday upheld the decision and ordered Brunette to pay.

"I think it sends a strong message that if you are responsible for cruelty and neglect to animals, not only will you be facing jail time and probation, you'll also be responsible monetarily," said Todd Stosuy, the county's supervising animal services field manager.

In July 2008, Animal Services officers called to Brunette's 5-acre property found more than 50 dogs that Brunette said he bred as guard dogs. Some of the dogs were starving, infected and battle-scarred from fighting, according to court records. A stench of dog feces permeated the air.

Associate Justice Wendy Clark Duffy described a "macabre" scene when Animal Services officers arrived.

"Some of the dogs lay dead or dying. Most of the rest, in the dozens, were skin and bones from starvation, suffering from infection, flea-ridden to a life-threatening degree, worm-infested, panting in cages exposed to the remote area's high temperature that day, putrefying with open sores, malnourished, injured, and/or battle-scarred from fights over food," Duffy wrote.

Authorities found mounted dog skulls and a dog's head on top of a trimmed tree trunk, court records state.

Brunette, 47, was convicted of felony animal cruelty Jan. 22, 2010, and sentenced to a year in County Jail, five years of probation, mandatory counseling, Judge Paul Marigonda ruled. Brunette also was ordered not to own dogs, and pay more than $100,000 in restitution to Animal Services for officers' time, veterinary bills and boarding fees, the judge ruled.

In an appeal of the restitution, Brunette's attorney said Animal Services knew about the home before the search and that Brunette should not be liable for that sum of money.

The appellate judge disagreed and upheld the restitution. Alfons Wagner, Brunette's attorney, did not return a message for comment Friday.

Brunette has said he was breeding the dogs and never harmed the animals.

On the witness stand, Brunette said the severed heads were from dogs deliberately poisoned by his neighbors. He testified the dog-breeding operation was for business, companionship and to fend off his neighbors -- whom he suspected of vandalism, according to court records.

Animal Services seized 51 dogs from the property in months of visits. Many of those dogs were pregnant, and dozens of puppies were born in captivity, court records state.

Stosuy, of Animal Services, said many of the dogs had to be euthanized, and there were behavioral and medical issues that made them impossible to place in ordinary homes. Many required special care, he said.

Steven Moore, who prosecuted the case for the District Attorney's Office, said he was pleased with the judge's decision. He said Animal Services' resources were stretched thin to deal with Brunette's dogs.

"They're really holding him accountable for that. We agree with the decision," Moore said.

Source: mercurynews.com - Apr 15, 2011
Update posted on Apr 15, 2011 - 9:52PM

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A Santa Cruz County man is facing possible prison time after being convicted of animal abuse charges.

Prosecutors say jurors needed only three hours to convict Robert Brunette of 10 counts of animal abuse and neglect Friday.

Immediately after the verdict, the 46-year-old Brunette was handcuffed and taken to County Jail.

Brunette was arrested during the summer after authorities said they removed dozens of malnourished dogs from a breeding operation he ran on his Boulder Creek property.

All of the dogs were confiscated by animal control officers. Some were turned over to shelters for adoption, while others had to be euthanized.

Brunette's attorney, Margaret Law, said she was "disappointed" with the verdict.

Brunette is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 22.

Source: Fox Reno - Dec 14, 2009
Update posted on Dec 14, 2009 - 9:12PM

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Nine months after the trial for a Boulder Creek man accused of abusing dozens of dogs was initially scheduled, defense attorney Margaret Law said the case against Robert Brunette was not about abuse but about poverty.

Brunette sat in court Friday for the opening of his jury trial that was postponed in May because he wanted to be represented by an attorney. Brunette had been defending himself in the animal cruelty case since he fired his court-appointed attorney in the fall of 2008.

In her opening statement, Law told the jury that Brunette was living in poverty with his dogs and regulations were not enforced when Brunette was first visited by Animal Control Services in 2005.

"This is a sad situation," said Law. "This is not about abuse, it's not about dog fighting, it's not about torture or mutilation. This has to do with a question of neglect."

Brunette is accused of 10 animal neglect charges related to his dog breeding operation on his Boulder Creek property. He faces two felony charges and eight misdemeanors, and a four-year prison sentence if convicted. Animal control officers removed dozens of dogs from his property off Deer Creek Road after responding to a neighbor's complaint in July 2008.

Officers reported finding sick dogs on the land, some found in small crates without access to food or water. Brunette's dogs were seized by the county and put up for adoption or euthanized, according to Animal Services.

Brunette wore a sweatshirt and stroked his long white beard as he listened to prosecutor Steve Moore's opening statement Friday.

"Most of [Brunette's] dogs were underweight, emaciated, had open wounds, distended bellies and were caged where they couldn't stand up," Moore said.

Moore added that food was left out for the dogs among piled up feces and garbage on the property.

"In a situation where winners were set up to win and losers were set up to lose it was an inherently dangerous way to try to feed these animals," Moore said. "He was indifferent to all of their suffering and for that reason I believe [the jury] will find him guilty of these charges."

Moore proceeded to present several photos of Brunette's property to the jury during the trial as Animal Services Field Supervisor Todd Stosuy took to the stand to explain what he encountered the day Brunette's dogs were confiscated by Animal Control and Sheriff's Office deputies.

The trial continues Monday morning and is expected to last the rest of the week.

Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel - Dec 4, 2009
Update posted on Dec 6, 2009 - 10:55PM

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Robert Brunette will reportedly be representing himself at his trial which is scheduled to begin on March 23, 2009.

Court dates are subject to change. To check the status of a court date, call:
Clerk of the Court, Criminal Division
Superior Court of Santa Cruz County
Phone: 831-420-2200
Case # F-16961

Additionally, you may mail or fax polite letters to:
Bob Lee, District Attorney
Santa Cruz County
701 Ocean Street, Room 200
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Fax: 831-454-2227

Source: Santa Cruz County Court Case # F-16961
Update posted on Feb 19, 2009 - 5:48PM

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Robert Brunette of Boulder Creek is scheduled to go on trial Monday, Dec. 8, on 10 counts of animal cruelty stemming from the conditions in which animal control officers found more than 50 dogs on his remote 10-acre property last July.

But whether the date will be kept is in doubt because Brunette has not met with the prosecution to see the evidence against him so he can defend himself.

Also, the conditions of Brunette's release from jail withoutbail were eased today, Dec. 1, when Superior Court Judge Samuel Stevens told him he could stay on his land daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but not at night.

Brunette earlier had been instructed to enter the property only to prepare his legal case. He is representing himself against two felony and eight misdemeanor charges after having fired his court-appointed attorney.

When neighbors two weeks ago had reported that Brunette was living on the land in apparent violation of the judge's conditions, Assistant District Attorney Steven Moore scheduled the hearing to ask Stevens to clarify the restrictions.

In a puzzling development, Brunette and Moore were scheduled to appear before Samuels Thursday, Dec. 4, to confirm that they are ready for trial, but Brunette had resisted meeting with Moore previously to see the evidence against him, according to Moore.

Moore said he expected Brunette to meet with him later Thursday, leaving the defendant only three full days to prepare his defense if the trial goes ahead Monday.

Source: Press Banner - Dec 1, 2008
Update posted on Dec 1, 2008 - 10:45PM

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Dog abuse defendant Robert Brunette fired his court-appointed attorney and will represent himself during his trial.

Brunette, 45, is charged with 10 counts of crimes against animals, including two felonies, and faces four years in state prison.

He fired Mark Garver, the public defender assigned to the case, this week. As a result, Brunette's trial, originally scheduled to begin Monday, was postponed to Dec. 8 to give him time to prepare his defense. He remains in County Jail.

County Animal Services Field Supervisor Todd Stosuy said rescheduling the trial won't have an effect on the case against Brunette.

"We are continuing to meet with the district attorney to go over the facts of the case and ensure once it goes to trial that we're all prepared and ready to testify," Stosuy said.

Animal Services officers went to Brunette's 5-acre property off Deer Creek Road outside of Boulder Creek on July 25 after a neighbor reported dogs and puppies were being mistreated. The process to arrest Brunette and capture his malnourished, flea-ridden dogs stretched out for several weeks.

During that time, officers also found a decapitated dog head hanging from a tree, two decomposing dog paws, six dog skulls and a dead dog on the roof of a plywood cabin.

Animal Services officers removed 51 puppies and dogs from Brunette's Hartman Creek Road property during late July and August. They were unable to capture two dogs, but those animals are no longer on Brunette's land, according to Stosuy.

One, a female, moved on to a neighbor's property. She has outsmarted the humane traps set for her and won't get close enough for people to touch her, but the neighbor has been feeding the dog and trying to build up its trust in humans, Stosuy said.

"The other dog has disappeared," he added.

At the animal shelter, the majority of Brunette's dogs have been adopted.

But there are still more puppies looking for homes. Stosuy said two of the adult female dogs surprised shelter staff when they turned out to be pregnant. The dogs have since given birth to 17 puppies and some are nearing eight weeks old, the age at which they can be weaned from their mothers and adopted.

"We have a good 10-15 puppies here that are from the Brunette case that are waiting for adoption," Stosuy said, adding that more pups will be of adoptable age soon.

Brunette may have to pay restitution to the county for the cost of housing and caring for his dogs, but that decision hinges on the outcome of his trial.

Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel - Oct 24, 2008
Update posted on Oct 24, 2008 - 9:51AM

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After nearly two months since Animal Control officers seized dozens of dogs from the property of an accused dog abuser, many of the animals are returning to full health.

While Robert Brunette has been in and out of jail dealing with 12 counts of animal abuse, the clock has run out on his attempt to get his dogs back.

"He was presented with paperwork relative to the cost of the seizure and the care of the animals," said Animal Services general manager Henry Brzezinski. "No money was forthcoming, so the first two giveaways of animals became property of animal services."

The cost for food, board and veterinary care has cost more than $20,000.

When the puppies were brought in, they were filled with worms and fleas. Now, the outlook isn't all bleak as many of the puppies have recovered and are ready for adoption into new homes.

"These guys are available now," said Amelia Summitt with Santa Cruz Animal Services. "We have a litter of three-month-olds that are available now. We have a litter of six-week-olds that are going to be available in a couple of weeks and we have a litter of five-week-olds that will be available after that."

The adult dogs had severe skin irritations and were bone thin when brought in, animal workers said. Many of those dogs will require more rehabilitation in foster homes until they are ready for adoption.

"He'll just hide behind me," Summitt said. "It's a product of living in the mountains. Some of the adults are still needing a lot of work, so we've been networking with some rescue organizations to take a look at them to find some permanent foster homes."

The puppies can be adopted through the Santa Cruz Animal Services Department.

Brunette said he plans to appeal the red tagging of his property by the Santa Cruz County Planning Department.

Planning officials cited Brunette for several building code violations, including construction of a building without permits.

Source: KSBW - Sept 4, 2008
Update posted on Sep 6, 2008 - 12:17PM

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A Santa Cruz County man charged with animal cruelty has been arrested again, this time for allegedly violating the terms of his release from prison.

Police say Robert Brunette was taken into custody this morning.

A warrant for his arrest was issued last week after two people reported seeing Brunette walking dogs.

Brunette had agreed not to have dogs while he awaits trial on ten counts of animal cruelty stemming from a raid on his property in July.

Authorities say they seized dozens of malnourished and mistreated puppies and dogs during that raid.

Animal Services says many of the dogs were caged without food and water and some had untreated medical problems such as fleas and worms.

Brunette has pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty.

Source: KMPH - Sept 2, 2008
Update posted on Sep 2, 2008 - 8:00PM

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Authorities are searching for accused animal abuser Robert Brunette after he allegedly violated the terms of his release from County Jail.

At least two people reported seeing the Boulder Creek man walking dogs in the woods near Deer Creek Road, not far from his home, earlier this week, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Brunette, 45, was released from County Jail on his own recognizance last week, but was ordered to not possess dogs while he awaits a trial this fall.

He is also supposed to phone Pretrial Services every three days and allow law enforcement officers to search his property for dogs at any time.

Prosecutor Heather Jones said Brunette had been complying with the other release terms, but that no one can find him now.

"Despite Animal Services' and Sheriff's Office's numerous attempts, they have been unable to locate him," Jones said Thursday morning.

A $50,000 warrant was issued today for Brunette's arrest, she said.

Brunette was first arrested on July 31, five days after Animal Services officers and sheriff's deputies raided his Hartman Creek Road property and seized dozens of malnourished, mistreated puppies and adult dogs. At least 51 dogs have been taken from the run-down rural site, which reeked of feces and was littered with trash. Many of the dogs had been caged without food and water, and some had untreated medical problems, such as worms and severe flea infestations, according to Animal Services.

A few dogs were still roaming the property last week, and it's believed the dogs Brunette was seen with were those remaining dogs, according to Jones. The witnesses who reported seeing Brunette with the dogs told authorities the animals didn't look healthy, Jones said. Brunette faces 10 counts of crimes against animals, including two felony animal neglect charges. He faces four years in state prison.

Source: Mercury News - Aug 29, 2008
Update posted on Aug 29, 2008 - 7:00PM

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The man accused of abusing dozens of dogs will be released on his own recognizance, Judge William Kelsay decided Monday.

During the preliminary hearing for Robert Burnette, 45, the judge determined there is enough evidence to hold Brunette on two felony and eight misdemeanor charges of mistreating more than 50 dogs and puppies on his rural Boulder Creek property.

Brunette previously declined to agree to the conditions for his release and was being held on $50,000 bail. He could be released as early as this evening.

The terms of his release require him to notify the court of his address every three days, that he not be allowed to possess any dogs and that he allow any searches of his property.

Brunette has been in County Jail since July 31.

Animal Services has removed 51 dogs and puppies from his Santa Cruz Mountains property and believes five to seven more remain.

Complaints had been made to officials about Brunette's dogs as early as 2002, but the early investigation was mismanaged and eventually the case was dropped. Judge Jeff Almquist recuse himself from the case earlier this month because he was the county supervisor for the district where the property is when the complaints were made.

Brunette's attorney Mark Garver said his client agreed to the latest release conditions because they are less restrictive.

Source: Mercury News - Aug 18, 2008
Update posted on Aug 18, 2008 - 10:26PM

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County officials knew as early as 2002 that accused animal abuser Robert Brunette's dogs were aggressive and that living conditions at his rural Boulder Creek property were substandard.

In a 27-page ruling issued in December 2006, the county administrative hearing officer stated all the evidence collected against Brunette was "fruit of the poisonous tree." It was invalid in court because Brunette's constitutional rights were violated by Animal Services officers and sheriff's deputies when they searched his property in July 2002.

The case was dropped in December 2006.

Brunette, 45, was arrested a week ago and has pleaded not guilty to 10 felony and misdemeanor counts of animal abuse.

Animal Services officers went to his 5-acre property off Deer Creek Road on July 25 after a neighbor reported dogs and puppies were being mistreated. Brunette ran them off, but they returned with sheriff's deputies and a search warrant the next day. He fled and was on the lam for five days.

Officers have removed 46 dogs and puppies, many of them emaciated, flea-ridden and sick with intestinal worms, from Brunette's fenced land. Four adult dogs are still roaming the property, where officers also found a decapitated dog head hanging from a tree, two decomposing dog paw, six dog skulls and a dead dog on the roof of a plywood cabin.

Brunette was granted supervised release from County Jail by Judge Jeff Almquist on Monday. However, Brunette refused to abide by any of the release terms, including that he cooperate with Animal Services officers and not possess animals, according to Pretrial Services supervisor Charles Smith. Therefore he remains in jail.

Wednesday, Brunette appeared in court again.

"This is the standard supervised release agreement. I went over this with the defendant," Smith said in court. "He asked to sleep on it for a night... He doesn't want to be supervised."

Almquist ordered that Brunette's bail be re-set at $100,000, because he is a threat to public safety, which defense attorney Mark Garver objected to.

"Standard bail for something like this is $5,000," said Garver, who requested a bail hearing, which is set for Friday morning.

Outside court, Garver pointed out that Brunette was going to be released on his own recognizance, so he must not be a serious threat to public safety. He also said the public misunderstands what his client is suspected of doing.

"No one is accusing him of intentionally, maliciously harming the animals," Garver said. "That's not what he's charged with."

Prosecutor Heather Jones said Brunette's dogs are being nursed back to health by Animal Services employees.

"The animals are the victims here and they don't have a voice," she said outside of court. "We're passionate about this case. We believe the animals were subjected to needless suffering."

Jones also noted that this is the first time the District Attorney's Office has been involved since allegations of Brunette's mistreatment of his dogs surfaced in 2002. She said they were unaware of the prior law enforcement contact with Brunette that was thrown out by the Code Enforcement hearings board.

"We don't know anything about it," Jones said.

Ken Hart, a principal planner in the county Planning Department who manages the Code Compliance section, said Wednesday that his office received a compliant about Brunette's property through Animal Services in 2005.

According to the decision from the county's administrative hearing officer, the complaint stemmed from an illegal search of Brunette's property conducted by sheriff's deputies and Animal Services officers acting on a tip in 2002. There was a complaint that the dogs were mistreated and the water on the property was poisonous to the animals.

"For all we know, the citizen complaint was rank hearsay and not based on personal knowledge," George Gigarjian, the administrative hearing officer, wrote in his decision.

Brunette's Hartman Creek Road property is two miles up Deer Creek Road, a private drive off Bear Creek Road that even US Postal Service employees don't have the right to enter without owners' permission. The entrance to Deer Creek Road is marked with several "private property" and "no trespassing" signs.

Hart explained that the code compliance case was thrown out because Animal Services officers didn't have legal cause to be on Hartman Creek Road.

"Because that was the source of our complaint we didn't have probable cause either," he said.

Animal Services General Manager Henry Brzezinski did not return phone calls Wednesday and field manager Todd Stosuy said Tuesday night he was instructed to not make any more statements to the media.

Previously, Animal Services officials said they had received complaints about Brunette several years ago, but that they were difficult to investigate because officers have to witness the violations. They also said the office's current employees did not work there when the prior complaints were made.

The 2002 complaint stated Brunette's dogs were "running loose and biting people" but was not the source was not named in Gigarjian ruling.

Hart said code compliance investigators have started a new probe into Brunette's property based on information sheriff's deputies and Animal Services officers obtained with a search warrant last month. It's possible Brunette could be cited for having a nonpermitted structure - his 300-square-foot cabin - as well as keeping large numbers of dogs and selling them without a kennel permit.

Hart wasn't sure how many dogs Brunette would be allowed to keep on his property, but said more than 40 is likely not allowed.

"Without a permit, I would very much doubt you could have that many dogs," he said. "It's possible he could be cited under the zoning code."

Each violation carries a $2,500 fine. Brunette also faces up to four years in state prison for the animal abuse crimes he is charged with.

Jones, the prosecutor, also said Wednesday that additional charges are possible but did not elaborate.

Dealing with Robert Brunette

July 2, 2002: Robert Brunette refused to allow two county Animal Services officers and a sheriff's deputy to enter his property to investigate a report of aggressive dogs and a tainted water supply.
July 9, 2002: The Planning Department received a report from Animal Services about an illegal kennel with 23-26 dogs, a nonpermitted house and an illegally occupied trailer at Brunette's property.
April 2003: A code compliance investigator tried to find the property but couldn't.
Aug. 30, 2005: The same investigator located the property and Brunette refused to let him enter. The investigator saw several dogs and posted a kennel operation violation at the property.
Sept. 22, 2005: Planning Department officials, Animal Services officers and sheriff's deputies were again refused entry to the property.
Oct. 24, 2005: A judge signed an administrative inspection warrant to investigate an illegal dwelling, keeping more than four dogs without a kennel permit and unauthorized occupation of a travel trailer.
Oct. 26, 2005: The warrant was served.
Dec. 20, 2005: A protest meeting was held about the violations.
Dec. 8, 2006: The county Administrative Hearing Officer ruled the evidence against Brunette was collected during an illegal search and the code-compliance case was thrown out.
July 2008: A new investigation into Brunette's dogs and living conditions commenced.
July 31: Brunette was arrested in Los Gatos.

Source: Mercury News - Aug 6, 2008
Update posted on Aug 6, 2008 - 10:41PM

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Robert Brunette sat stone faced in court as Judge Jeff Almquist read the charges against him; 10 counts of animal cruelty, two of those felony charges.

Brunette, who pleaded not guilty, will remain in custody until his attorney, the prosecuting attorney, and animal services representatives can come to a consensus about the terms of his release, though he is expected to be released Tuesday morning.

Brunette's public defender, Mark Garver, argued that since the 45-year-old has lived on the property for 25 years and has no criminal record, he is not a danger and should be allowed to return to his home, as he has no place else to go.

Prosecutor Heather Jones disagreed.

"I'm concerned that if he returns he will continue in the actions that bring us here today."

She was referring to the more than 40 severely abused dogs and puppies that animal services removed from Brunette's Boulder Creek residence a week ago.

She voiced concern about the 10 dogs still running lose on Brunette's property, and fear that he would continue to harm them if allowed to return home.

Brunette balked at this statement.

"Animal services has injured a lot of my dogs," he said, referring to the manner in which he said animal services removed dogs from his property, which he called "abuse."

Jones shook her head at Brunette's statement, saying that "animal services are very much advocates for animals."

As to allegations that Brunette might again flee, Garver argued that Brunette was only served with a search warrant, not an arrest warrant, which meant it wasn't a crime for him to leave his property.

"He is not a threat and he is not a flight risk," said Garver.

Brunette remains in custody until terms can be agreed upon. Discussions are going on now.

The maximum penalty Brunette faces is 4 years.

Brunette's preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 6.

Source: San Jose Mercury News - Aug 4, 2008
Update posted on Aug 4, 2008 - 4:27PM

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A Santa Cruz-area dog breeder accused of abusing and neglecting dozens of dogs at his kennel denied many of the allegations Friday in a phone interview with CBS 5 from jail.

Robert Brunette, 45, was arrested Thursday and faces at least 10 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and neglect and possibly some felonies.

Animal control officers over the past week seized 40 emaciated and diseased dogs from Brunette's rural Boulder Creek property as well as dog skulls, a dead dog found on the roof of his home and a decomposing dog hanging from a tree.

Brunette maintained during the interview that most of his dogs were healthy and were fed regularly.

He contended the dead dogs on his property were poisoned by either neighbors or animal control officers who had been harassing him.

The rescued dogs were taken to local animal shelters were they are being treated and rehabilitated for possible adoption.

Source: CBS 5 - Aug 1, 2008
Update posted on Aug 1, 2008 - 7:53PM

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A man suspected of abusing or neglecting more than three dozen dogs at his home in Boulder Creek (Santa Cruz County) where dogs' heads were found was arrested Thursday on animal-cruelty charges, authorities said.

Robert Brunette, 45, was arrested as he was walking near Los Gatos High School about 6:25 a.m., authorities said. There was no sign of his car or personal effects nearby, and Brunette has no apparent connection to the school, said Sgt. Randy Rimple of the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police.

"He looked just kind of neutral," Rimple said. "He was just kind of blank."

Brunette made no statements and was picked up by Santa Cruz County sheriff's deputies shortly before noon.

Sheriff's officials had called Los Gatos police to report that Brunette was in their town, Rimple said. It was not immediately known how the sheriff's office knew where he was.

Brunette faces numerous felony and misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty, said Santa Cruz County animal services coordinator Tricia Geisreiter.

On Saturday, animal control officers found and rescued 38 dogs - including puppies a few days old - from Brunette's property on Hartman Creek Road. His home was littered with crates that contained feces and urine, she said.

A search of the property uncovered a decapitated dog's head, five canine skulls and a dead dog next to a lawn chair on a deck atop the home, Geisreiter said.

When authorities returned to the home Tuesday, they found two dog paws and a sixth dog skull, raising the possibility that Brunette had returned to his property to deposit the items.

Two more live dogs were found Tuesday and are being treated along with the 38 others. An additional eight dogs are believed to be somewhere on the 3-acre property.

Sheriff's deputies and animal control officers raided the home a day after Brunette refused to grant access to authorities investigating reports of animals crying in pain, Geisreiter said.

When officers returned Saturday with a search warrant, Brunette ran away, authorities said.

The dogs that are being treated by the county include cane corsos, also known as Italian mastiffs, rottweilers and Labrador retrievers. Brunette had been selling dogs in the Bay Area, authorities said.

The dogs are not yet adoptable, Geisreiter said. Some are scared of humans and are unsocial, and animal control officers hope to nurse them back to health before deciding whether to put them up for adoption.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle - Aug 1, 2008
Update posted on Aug 1, 2008 - 11:09AM

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Animal Services officers and sheriff's deputies found another dog skull and decomposing dog paws where they removed five dog skulls Saturday. The discovery was made Tuesday when they returned to the property on Hartman Creek Road to search for the man wanted for mistreating dogs and puppies.

Officers say Robert Brunette, 45, of Boulder Creek is wanted for cruelty to animals after they removed 38 emaciated dogs and puppies from his property Saturday finding many locked in small cages without food or water and covered in their own feces and urine.

Brunette, who denied access to the property Friday and fled when authorities returned with a search warrant Saturday, apparently returned to the ramshackled house and left more dog remains. Animal services officers caught two more dogs Tuesday and placed live traps for what they believe are eight more adult dogs roaming the more than 3-acre property in the heavily-wooded remote area near Bear Creek Road.

Brunette was nowhere to be found but they are looking for and believe they have probable cause to arrest him for crimes against animals.

Environmental health officers were also on hand Tuesday surveying the property littered with old vehicles, trash, makeshift pens, feces and dog kennels. Much of the property was also surrounded by an electric fence used to keep the dogs in place.

Saturday, authorities found a dead dog on the roof of the house, a shed-like structure made of plywood, and a decomposing dog head hung from a tree branch. Investigators guessed it had been there less than a month. Deputies reported finding an array of dog skeletons on the property, and in the house five dog skulls were found on top of a hutch where food was stored.

Authorities were alerted to the distressing scene Friday when a neighbor said he could hear "animals crying in pain" from a residence on the 100 block of Hartman Creek Road. He said the owner there had a large number of mangy, mistreated dogs.

It's not the first time neighbors have reported problems with the man and the way he treats his dogs.

"It's my understanding that there had been similar complaints years ago but this is the first complaint we've had recently," Todd Stosuy, county Animal Services field manager, said Monday.

"There were a number of dogs running around loose," Stosuy said. "Several dogs were locked up in small dog crates that you would use to transport, covered in their own feces and urine."

He said it appeared one old dog had been living inside the cab of a truck for "probably over a year or two," the cushions ripped apart and soaked in urine. No food or water was in sight.

Inside the house, a quarter inch of dust covered everything and animal feces littered the floor.

Outside, some dogs were allowed to roam free on the property, which was surrounded by an electric fence. A few dogs jumped the fence and ran off before officers were able to round them up. Officers intend to go back to the house, which also has an address on the 18000 block of Bear Creek Road, to look for them.

Tricia Geisreiter, animal services coordinator, said most of the dogs were in "pretty bad condition" and were scared and not friendly.

"It's horrible. This literally makes me want to cry," she said.

Geisreiter said in her 11 years of working for animal shelters, this was one of the worst cases she has ever seen.

A number of puppies were removed, some as young as 2 days old, some 6 weeks old. Most of the dogs are at an area veterinarian's office being treated for severe worm infestations, severe flea problems, mange and skin issues.

The rest of the rescued cane corsos, also called Italian mastiffs, as well as Rottweilers, Labrador retrievers and other mixed breeds are recuperating at the Scotts Valley Animal Shelter.

Most of the dogs are so skinny their ribs are showing through; some have "quite a bit of fight scars on them that had been sutured together," Geisreiter said.

"We don't know that this gentleman was using them for fighting," she said. "Sometimes when animals are in huge packs, they will fight."

Authorities think the man may have been illegally breeding and selling the dogs as purebreds to buyers in San Jose and San Francisco, even though he didn't have permits to keep unaltered dogs or operate a kennel.

"He had ads in newspapers over there. I don't know if he currently has ads," Stosuy said, adding it's possible the man was actually passing off mixed-breed dogs as purebred. "The majority of the animals that we pulled out of there were not purebred."

Animal services officers are doing their best to care for the animals, Geisreiter said. However, since animals are considered property under the law, they remain under the resident's ownership until he either surrenders them or they are confiscated through the court system, Stosuy said. Until then, the dogs are not available for adoption.

"We have no intention of giving any dogs back to this gentleman," Stosuy added.

He said Animal Services officers removed at least three boxes of evidence, including sales records, from the man's house.

District Attorney Bob Lee said he couldn't comment on any charges the man might face or the fate of the dogs until Animal Services officers turn over their investigation to the District Attorney's Office. "The case ... won't be coming to us until at least Wednesday," Lee said.

Neighbors said they have had ongoing issues with the suspect.

"A lot of his dogs were very aggressive," said neighbor Gordon Stewart, who lives on Deer Creek Road. "He uses a pellet gun to shoot trespassers."

Stosuy said deputies delayed the search a day when they were alerted to arrive with backup because of concerns the suspect might be armed. They were on the property for about six hours Saturday.

"I'm sure the animals will be a lot better off somewhere else," said neighbor Janet Laidlow. "It's just a sad situation."

Contact Jennifer Squires at 429-2449 or [email protected].

Animal services is in need of blankets, sheets and towels, dog food and monetary donations, all of which are tax deductible. They can be brought to Santa Cruz County Animal Services, 27 Janis Way, Scotts Valley, CA 95066 or mailed there. Or to volunteer, call 454-7303 or go online at scanimalservices.us and fill out a volunteer application.

Source: Mercury News - July 29, 2008
Update posted on Jul 29, 2008 - 10:10PM

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Puppy mill - some dead, skulls hanging from treesBoulder Creek, CA (US)

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Puppy mill - some dead, skulls hanging from trees
Boulder Creek, CA (US)