Puppy mill - 23 dogs found dead
Lockeford, CA (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Sep 16, 2008
County: San Joaquin
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available
Alleged: Robert Weaver
Police detectives and the Contractors State License Board on Tuesday arrested Lockeford resident Robert Weaver on nine counts of contractor fraud and working without a license.
At his 5-acre property in the 15000 block of Linn Road, however, they also compiled three counts of animal cruelty on top of accusations that he defrauded elderly homeowners of at least $60,000 worth of landscaping contracts he did not perform.
Authorities found dead 23 dogs and a steer on Weaver's land, which includes his home and a dog kennel, Lodi Detective Lee Patterson said.
"I've been on this guy in the past for forgery charges," Patterson said. "I heard that he has 40 dogs on his property, and that just didn't seem right. Every time I contacted the guy, he didn't have a dime. How could he afford to care for that many dogs?"
Weaver, 38, is scheduled to appear in San Joaquin County Superior Court on Tuesday.
Patterson said the dogs were a specific breed - Louisiana Catahoula leopard dogs.
The breed is known for its boar hunting and herding abilities. Patterson said Weaver was selling the dogs.
The dead steer was found with his head halfway in a water trough.
"You could tell it was trying to get a drink," Patterson said.
One police witness, Maria Gomez, said she performed housekeeping duties for Weaver beginning in 2006 and ending in January after his checks began to bounce. Gomez said she still is owed $120 for her services, a small amount she admits, but important to her. She added that she always was bothered by his treatment of the dogs.
"I was always told to stay away from the dogs and the kennel," Gomez said. "Once, I wanted to give them water because it was over 100 degrees, and they had no shade. I called, and they said not to worry about it."
Gomez said she saw other signs of physical abuse on the dogs, saying Weaver often kicked them or yanked them forcefully by their collars.
Seven dogs were found alive on the property, six of them Catahoulas, police said. Their bodies were emaciated from obvious malnutrition, Patterson said. A healthy Catahoula's weight is 55 to 80 pounds, according to www.dogbreedinfo.com. The dogs on Weaver's property weighed 20 to 30 pounds, authorities said.
The surviving dogs were taken into custody by San Joaquin County Animal Control, where they are being cared for until they can be adopted. Officials at the animal control office were unavailable for comment Thursday.
Weaver was booked Tuesday night into the Lodi Jail and on Wednesday was transferred to the San Joaquin County Jail in lieu of $460,000 bail. He is charged with grand theft, elder abuse and contracting without a license.
"This guy just doesn't care ... about anybody or anything," Patterson said. References |
