Pet Store Shut Down for Filty Conditions - poor furbabies

[yorkiesmiles]

This was on a news station last night.

"An Ottumwa (Iowa) pet store is closed for business. Police shut down Court Hill Pet Palace after finding 24 dogs and three cats living in filthy conditions. While the owner could face charges, the animals are now in need of care."

There is video and a print story. Although the print story leaves out the fact that these were adult animals -- including Yorkies. They called it a pet store - but apparently these were actually the ones being used to breed & I can't figure out how they were selling anything from there, so I don't know if they had another store front somewhere to sell puppies.

Here's the link to the story & video http://www.whotv.com/global/story.asp?s=7908574

There is a rescue organization in the same town that has taken in the animals, but since this just happened this - it doesn't look like these furbabies have been added to their website - The rescued animals are being held in the isolation room until the veterinarian gives them a clean bill of health. http://www.heartlandhumanesociety.org/index.html

[ARCHIE]

While the owner could face charges


This is what drives me crazy! I don't know why they say this all the time.
Did the owner not know his animals were living in filthy conditions?
They should slap handcuffs on him/her throw them in jail and let them
live the same way as those poor animals. Fine them so much money
they will never be able to open another store in a lifetime. That's the
only way to get these low lifes out of business. IMO

[yorkie mom-3]

Just another example of greed!!! It makes me so sick. But at least the dogs are safe and are being cared for, that's the most important thing. Hope she gets the max that's allowed.

[JRo]

How awful! Those poor, poor babies. Some "pet palace"...

[NYYJeterGrl626]

Horrible, some ppl need to be locked up and never let out... make me so sick

[MissPinkBarbie]

Another one down!

[Maxi]

Originally Posted by ARCHIE

While the owner could face charges


This is what drives me crazy! I don't know why they say this all the time.
Did the owner not know his animals were living in filthy conditions?
They should slap handcuffs on him/her throw them in jail and let them
live the same way as those poor animals. Fine them so much money
they will never be able to open another store in a lifetime. That's the
only way to get these low lifes out of business. IMO

Yes I absolutely agree!

[jrincon17]

you know i went to this pet store and they brought out 8 week old yorkies by the handfulls but never let you go back to pick one of the littler so i left. i bet this place is like that but i did talk to a yorkie owner who bought one there as i was looking looked healthy. scary

[4doggiemama]

The way it works around here----they get arrested, hand slapped, and back in business short time later. Have a breeder about 6 miles from us that raises Australian Shepherds and is back in business after a minimal punishment. When raided they found dead dogs in the pens that the other dogs had cannibalized, fecal matter over a ft. deep, starving dogs, 1 starved dead horse and others emaciated. It was horrible and they are back at it again. Now the new horses look starved.

[yorkiesmiles]

It's hard to believe that during the time the owner had someone else caring for the place that it went down hill so much. I'm going to see what else I can find out about this place and those poor dogs who look like they've spent their lives existing (because that is not living) in cages.

[yorkiesmiles]

This is from the town's newspaper - this is a couple hrs away from where I live. At least one dog was pregnant - at least those pups will hopefully have a better chance of survival now

http://www.ottumwa.com/local/local_story_053003659.html

Published February 22, 2008 12:36 am -

Pet Palace owner Rhodes arrested on animal neglect charges


By SCOTT NILES Courier staff writer

OTTUMWA — An Ottumwa woman has been charged with animal neglect in connection to a raid at the Court Hill Pet Palace earlier this week.

Donna Marie Rhodes, 76, 11298 Dahlonega Road, owner of the pet store, was arrested Thursday and released on a police citation under the stipulation that she appear in court on Monday. She was charged with two counts of cruelty to animals, one count of confining animals (filthy confinement conditions) and one count of sanitation of premises (odor and conditions of inside).

“We let her go on the spot because of some health problems,” said Jeff Williams, the Ottumwa Police Department’s animal resource officer.

On Monday, Williams received a report that nearly 30 animals — 24 dogs, three cats and two pet mice — were suffering from inhumane living conditions.

Sandy Hudek, manager of Heartland Humane Society, told the Courier her heart sank when she walked into building. She said the 29 animals found were suffering from a lack of heat, water and a limited source of food.

“I cried when I walked in there and saw what they were living in. Animals don’t get this way overnight,” Hudek said. “No animal deserves to be treated that way.”

Three of the dogs were sent to Ottumwa Veterinary Clinic for treatment. One dog is pregnant and was nearly ready to give birth to a litter of puppies.

“Another dog looked sickly, like it had not been eating,” Hudek said. “And the third dog accidentally had scalding hot water dumped on it. It had burns and no hair where that had happened.”

The facility was immediately shut down and the animals were transported to Heartland Humane, where they were given baths and will receive up-to-date vaccinations. Hudek said once the animals are treated and have received the proper shots, they will be able to be adopted out.

Scott Niles can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at sjniles@mchsi.com.

[Bizzymammabee]

Poor babies the owner is a scumbag and should go straight to jail. You can't tell me he didn't know of the conditions.

[yorkiesmiles]

oh, this is truly disgusting!!! I just googled the name of the shop and found out that she was apparently doing grooming from there!!! And apparently selling dog supplies - she is currently advertising on some site - that looks a bit like an ebay site for just dog stuff - & she has current auctions

here's a link to that - so she is still out there making money despite her arrest http://www.thedogsite.com/dog-suppli.../ottumwa/4472/

OH THIS MAKES ME SO MAD - SHE IS SELLING BRAND NEW KENNELS - WHILE HER DOGS LIVED IN FILTHY ONES....... SHE IS SELLING HEATED BEADS WHILE THE DOGS IN HER SHOP WERE SAID TO BE LIVING IN POORLY HEATED CONDITIONS AND AUTOMATIC WATER DISHES WHEN HER DOGS DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone know anything about that website?? Wondering if she can be reported - so they don't allow listings from her anymore!!

[yorkiesmiles]

I'm going to post this here- but might also post it in rescues -- this is just nuts yesterday - so like 2 days after the Court Hill Pet Palace is shut down in Ottumwa, Iowa - right outside Ottumwa more than 100 dogs are seized from a home!!!

Heartland Humane Society in Ottumwa has now taken in all the dogs from both seizures!! Here's their website again - I imagine that this small town rescue is going to need some big time help - their website is not the best designed, but http://www.heartlandhumanesociety.org/

Here's the story about Friday's seizure :
http://www.ktvo.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=99485


More than one hundred dogs seized in Ottumwa


By Jill Kasparie
Posted: Friday, February 22, 2008 at 9:25 p.m.

OTTUMWA, IA. -- An anonymous call to the Wapello County sheriff's department has lead to the seizure of more than one hundred dogs and cats near Ottumwa.

Law enforcement pulled a total of 112 dogs and 14 cats out of a home just east of Ottumwa after a woman voluntarily released the animals to the sheriff's department. Officers wore full body suits to enter the house.

"It is the worse I've ever seen in my entire career. We're talking about two to three inches of feces on the floor," Ottumwa Police Officer Jeff Williams said.

"There are pet carriers inside the residence and looks to me [like] eight or nine dogs stuffed in there," Wapello County Sheriff Don Kirkendall said.

"[I] didn't see any food or water in there what-so-ever and the smell is just so overpowering, it's surreal," Officer Williams said.

Law enforcement took many of the dogs out of the house by the cage-full.

"We've got dozens upon dozens of dogs just running loose through the floor, the whole house," Officer Williams said.

Some of the dogs were very skinny, others had skin conditions and many had flees.

Sheriff Kirkendall said about three to five of the dogs have already been humanely euthanized due to their severe conditions.

For Heartland Humane Society Shelter Manager, Sandy Hudek, Friday's scene was all too familiar. Earlier in the week, 24 dogs were seized from an Ottumwa pet store on Iowa Avenue.

"It's amazing. I never thought I'd see, twice in one week, something like this in our city. This is just beyond words," Hudek said.

Humane Society workers are trying to find shelters for the dogs to stay in across Iowa because their shelters are full already. Hudek said most of the dogs won't stay in Ottumwa.

"What a horrible, horrible week this has been," Hudek said.

The owner of the animals declined to comment. Sheriff Kirkendall said charges against the woman are in the works.

[yorkiesmiles]

I just called Heartland Humane Society -- the gal I spoke to said they are so overwhelmed between these 2 seizures & she said she is now hearing rumblings of other spots in and around the town, that may need to be shut down. It seems that the pet store shut down is turning into a domino effect - WHAT A GREAT THING FOR ALL THESE DOGS -- BUT, it is stretching the rescue group to their limits!

From the pet store they rescued 5 yorkies, although I only saw 2 in the tv news video. She said one is so scared, she has it in the office with her.

They are reaching capacity at their facility and the gal I spoke to told me that she is hoping the Animal Rescue League of Iowa which is in Des Moines, will come down and take some of the ones rescued yesterday.

If you can do anything to help this organization financially I know they would appreciate it. She said their vet bills are horrid right now - she said the vets are doing what they can, but with this many animals in so few days, they can't donate all their services, medicine, etc.

She said their biggest needs right now are: vet bills, garbage bags, bleach, newspapers, grooming tools, food,

If you want to do something to help them their mailing address is Heartland Humane Society, PO BOX 1149, Ottumwa, IA 52501