June 26, 2008

(Pet Pulse Photo Illustration by Mike Lloyd)

NEW YORK -- A raid at a farm in Tennessee on Wednesday has resulted in the largest animal rescue ever conducted in the state.

Found in conditions that officials say were deplorable, 700 animals were seized from a 92-acre property on Ed Lyle Road in Lyles -- a small town 55 miles west of Nashville.

Currently no charges have been filed against owner Patricia Adkisson, although, late Thursday afternoon she relinquished ownership of all the animals seized to the District Attorney, who has placed the animals in the care of the Humane Society of the United States.

The animals included mostly dogs, but also about 20 cats, some horses, chickens and donkeys, but “final counts can’t be given right now because the animals are still being brought off the site, said Betsy McFarland, Director of Communications, Companion Animals Section of the HSUS.

Of the dogs rescued, McFarland says most are small breeds including Yorkies, Pekanese, Pomeranians, lap terriers and Chihuahuas, but the breeds also included larger dogs such as German shepherds, New Foundlands and Great Danes.

Owner of Pine Bluff Kennels, Adkisson could face one criminal count for each animal seized and charges for allegedly running what officials are calling a puppy mill, which is a violation of the state’s animal cruelty laws.

The raid was set in motion by the HSUS’ Tennessee state director who received undercover tips and worked with investigators with the District Attorney’s office for the 21st Judicial District to build a case against Adkisson.

Adkisson escaped judicial punishment from a previous case where she was charged with 195 counts of animal neglect and cruelty after authorities found hundreds of malnourished dogs and puppies on her property in 1998.

But in 2001, the three convictions held against Adkisson from the 195 counts were overturned when an appeals court determined that police had violated her constitutional rights by improperly searching her property.

District Attorney General Kim Helper says she didn’t want what happened in the last case to happen again.

“We want to make sure that if criminal charges are filed in this case, that we have a successful prosecution,” Helper told NBC 4, Nashville.

Like typical puppy mills, McFarland says the conditions were horrible and that animals are currently being treated for various issues.

“Animals are being triaged based on their condition at the crime scene and at the temporary shelter,” McFarland said of the operation which is manned by more than 100 officials and volunteers from local and national agencies.

“It’s one of the largest rescues that we have been involved in,” McFarland said of how the historic Tennessee raid compares to other HSUS rescues in the past. “This is definitely on the high end for the number of animals involved.”

As a result, the HSUS is speaking to shelters across the country which might be able to house the animals and provide adoption opportunities.

In the meantime, McFarland says the animals are being provided with vet care and clean cages in a temporary shelter which is an empty warehouse near the scene.

McFarland does not yet know if any animals will have to be euthanized as a result of poor health, but other deaths are still to be accounted for.

“The forensic vets are still working the scene -- I know there were some (dead animals) but I don’t know how many,” McFarland said.

McFarland and the HSUS hope that cases like this will raise public awareness on the horrors of puppy mills.

“Sadly, puppy mills are bad places for dogs -- it’s really a buyers beware situation,” McFarland said. “People interested in getting a dog should A. adopt from a shelter, but B, if they are going to buy from a breeder, go to the site and physically see where the puppy is being raised and if you can’t then you probably shouldn’t purchase it.”

For more information on how to help the HSUS efforts in providing care and housing for these animals, contact hsus.org

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