65 neglected dogs seized from kennel
St Stephen, NB (CA)Incident Date: Wednesday, Nov 9, 2005
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Wendy Weeks
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Saint John animal protection officer Krista Simmons holds an adult female Springer spaniel that had a bad eye infection. The dog is one of 65 seized from a kennel near St. Stephen.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is working with local veterinary clinics and kennels to clean up and treat 65 dogs seized from a St. Stephen kennel.
The English sheepdogs and English springer spaniels were seized from Wendy Weeks' Saltbox Kennel on November 9, 2005, by the SPCA after they obtained enough information for a warrant.
One springer puppy died in transit.
"Right now we have all the dogs being assessed by vets," said Paul Melanson, chief inspector for the New Brunswick SPCA. The agency had been monitoring the situation at the kennel for more than a year after it received three formal complaints about conditions at the Charlotte County kennel. A reporter for the Telegraph-Journal toured the kennel and Ms. Week's home in March 2005 and observed dogs that reeked from the smell of matted feces and urine. The driveway was filled with trampled urine and feces.
Inside the home there was an overpowering stench with piles of feces in the middle of the living room. The reporter wasn't allowed into areas of the home dedicated to raising the dogs and was asked to leave after inquiring about the health of some of the dogs. Some customers who purchased dogs from Ms. Weeks in the past year ended up with ill animals who generated thousands of dollars in medical expenses. Despite the formal complaints, the SPCA was unable to obtain a warrant to seize the dogs last spring because they lacked a firsthand account of conditions inside the home.
That changed last week and the SPCA was able to present enough evidence for a judge to grant a warrant, said Mr. Melanson. Two vans, a truck, a sport utility vehicle and a horse trailer were used to move the dogs. The RCMP assisted the SPCA and Ms. Weeks co-operated during the seizure, he said. Ms. Weeks was once a reputable breeder of English sheepdogs and English springer spaniels.
A spokesman for the Weeks family declined to comment on the seizure on Monday. Mr. Melanson couldn't comment in detail on the condition of the animals or the home they were kept in because the matter is still under investigation. He said the animals were not kept in a manner required by the province. "The dogs had to be taken out of there, they couldn't be left there any longer," he said. "She started out with good intentions but things got out of hand and she just couldn't cope with them." It took planning and co-ordination to deal with the seizure, which is one of the largest ones the agency has done recently, he said.
The investigation into the dogs' treatment and living conditions should be completed within a month, with the possibility of charges being laid and the animals being surrendered for adoption.
Twenty of the dogs are being kept at the Fairvale Animal Hospital in Rothesay. Others are being kept in Saint John and the rest are in Fredericton.
The Saint John SPCA has put out an appeal for volunteers to help clean, groom, walk and socialize with the dogs. Those interested in helping can e-mail [email protected] or call 652-0312. Donna Toews, president of the English Springer Rescue Association of Canada, said she became aware of Ms. Weeks' kennel last spring. She travelled from British Columbia on behalf of the association and worked with Ms. Weeks' family to adopt seven of the English springer spaniels. She said they organization is now working with the New Brunswick SPCA through a Nova Scotia representative and had offered its assistance should the dogs be surrendered for adoption. "If I could afford it I would be out there again," she said.
Case Updates| Soon after the seizure, all dogs were legally signed over to rescue (ESRAC and NEOES). Through these two rescue associations, the dogs were altered and given veterinary care for various conditions (mammary tumors, dental work, deworming). Money to pay the large veterinary bills came from the rescue associations and their generous donors. Many of the foster homes adopted the dogs and pups born immediately after the seizure are just going home now. | Source: http://www.esracanada.org
Update posted on Mar 20, 2006 - 3:50PM |
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