December 14, 2008

Nearly 50 dogs were seized from an unlicensed kennel in New Jersey late last week, yet more than 200 Chihuahuas and Sharpeis were left behind. (Pet Pulse Illustration by Tim Mattson)

HOWELL, N.J. -- Animal control officers say that Edith Buchko, 76, is trying her best to care for the Chihuahua and Sharpeis bred at her kennel, Windsong Acres.

But the elderly kennel owner's best isn't good enough, especially when 300 dogs' lives and well-being are on the line.

A coalition of New Jersey animal welfare organizations pulled 49 dogs -- 40 Chihuahuas and nine Sharpeis -- from the Howell Township facility last Thursday and Friday. It might take months before they can convince Buchko to surrender her remaining 151 puppies and adult dogs.

Though animal control officers have tracked Buchko and her kennel for years, the seizure does not constitute a typical puppy mill or hoarding case, Monmouth County SPCA police chief Victor "Buddy" Amato says.

"People might say that this was a raid, but it wasn't," Amato said. "We went in there and convinced her to voluntarily surrender the dogs, which she did. It was hard for her. They mean something to her."

And though the dogs live in small wire cases, the case can't technically be considered one of animal abuse, as Buchko is feeding and watering them regularly.

But the scene still brought tears to Associated Humane Societies' police chief Bruce Sanchez's eyes, he says.

"There were double stacked cages, two dogs in each cage," Sanchez said. "These animals are born, bred and die in these cages. They don't know what it is like to walk on grass or see sunlight."

"They look at you with their eyes, begging you to be rescued."

Buchko, who has been breeding dogs since the late 1960s, was convicted of animal cruelty in 1996, prompting the American Kennel Club to suspend her kennel license.

Yet her kennel remained open, with the promise that she would not own more than 165 dogs at a time, according to a judge's orders.

Buchko says she is no longer selling the dogs, but Amato remarked that he is unaware of how she might else obtain an income. Though calls were unanswered, Windsong Acres' Web site says it is "offering puppies for sale as of 7/15/08," and includes pictures of dogs for sale.

Buchko has individually licensed each of her nearly 300 dogs as pets, Amato says, costing her thousands of dollars. She is now awaiting a court hearing on Dec. 17, which Sanchez hopes could perpetuate her willingness to surrender the dogs, if not to turn them in by the judge's mandate.

Evidence of animal cruelty could be drawn from some of the dogs' heartworm diagnoses and unclipped nails, Sanchez says.

"The Chihuahua's nails were curled over, and looked like they hadn't been clipped in some time," Sanchez said. "Some of the dogs' fur is stained with newspaper ink. If her dogs have heartworm and that wasn't being addressed, it kind of says a lot."

Dubbing the case an animal cruelty instance could potentially hurt the dogs' chances of getting released and re-homed, Amato says. It could also mar the officers' negotiations with Buchko.

"We don't want to cut off that channel of communication with her," Amato said.

"I refuse to manipulate the law just to pull animals out of there because people think they should be out right away. I'm not going to make this an animal cruelty case when in my heart, I know there isn't any. It is an overcrowding situation."

Buchko truly cares for her animals, both Amato and Sanchez maintain, and even knows them all by name. Her number of pets spiraled out of control over time, though, as she has not killed or surrendered any dogs once they surpass their breeding potential.

Regardless of Buchko's intentions, seizing all of the dogs at once could create additional problems of shelters becoming overwhelmed.

"We want every dog to be in a loving home with the Christmas tree and the fire," Amato said. "But that is not the reality. We are saying, this isn't right, and the dogs shouldn't have to live this way, but it can take time."

The SPCA and the Associated Humane Societies have received an outpouring of e-mails and calls from people in the area who are willing to foster the surrendered dogs. The re-homing process has already begun through various rescue groups, the officers say.

They are hoping that Buchko's Dec. 17 court appearance will lead to her surrendering at least 151 more dogs, bringing her number down to 165, which the courts had originally mandated.

The potential ruling should benefit Buchko and the dogs alike, Sanchez says.

"This is beyond her, at this point, to care for almost 300 animals," he said.

Animal control officers will have to continue to tread lightly in maintaining a relationship with Buchko, who Amato described as "distraught."

"She is upset, and understandably so. She is reluctant to give up any more animals."

Sanchez did not want to place a time frame for removing the remaining dogs, but says the efforts will remain continuous over the coming months.

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