AR-News: (TN - US) Shelter swamped with 230 seized pets from breeder

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Shelter swamped with 230 seized pets        <IMG  SRC="http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/01/45943873.jpg" WIDTH="228" HEIGHT="203" BORDER="0" DATASIZE="5843">
STEVEN S. HARMAN / STAFF
A pregnant dog is examined yesterday as volunteers and staff at the 
Williamson County Animal Shelter try to identify needs of the more than pets removed 
Thursday from a Franklin dog breeder's home.   
    
        
By MITCHELL KLINE
Staff Writer FRANKLIN — Two litters of puppies competed for one mother's milk 
inside a small room in the Williamson County Animal Shelter yesterday, as 
dozens of other puppies slept nestled together nearby.

It would have been a tender scene had it not been for the tiny dead puppy 
lying on a countertop — one of 230 animals removed Thursday night from a Franklin 
dog breeder's home.

The animal shelter was closed yesterday and phone calls went unanswered while 
every Williamson County Animal Control Department employee and volunteer 
tended to the new residents' needs.

Some of the animals needed food, others needed water and many were in need of 
vaccinations.

Kevin Riley, an animal control officer, nicknamed the room with the puppies 
the ''maternity ward.'' It was the only quiet place in the shelter.



Hallways were lined with pens containing small, white dogs tagged ''Case 
Evidence, do not touch, move or remove.'' Rooms used for storing files, taking 
breaks and examinations were packed with dogs.

Trucks usually kept in the garage bay were moved out so that more than 100 
dogs and cats, stacked three rows high in more than 50 cages, could be kept warm.

A reported 186 dogs, 30 puppies and 14 cats were taken from 2235 Bowman Road 
in Franklin, the home of Jennifer Siliski and her four children, according to 
District Attorney Ron Davis.



Siliski is a breeder of toy Maltese dogs and owner of Hollybelle's Maltese.



Davis said Siliski had not been arrested or charged with a crime. ''At this 
point we are going to look at all the evidence and photos we have in the case 
and make some type of decision,'' Davis said. ''What we'll probably do is 
present the case to a grand jury and get an indictment.''

The dogs will remain at the shelter until the case is presented to a judge.

According to Siliski's Web site, <A HREF="http://www.hmaltese.com/">www.hmaltese.com</A>, the dogs come from a rare 
line of championship show dogs registered with the American Kennel Club. The 
site lists more than 30 dogs from Hollybelle's that have won championships. 
Attempts to contact Siliski failed.
Her Web site warns prospective dog buyers to buy from an ''ethical dog 
breeder who believes in quality not quantity.''
Animal control officials said Siliski had more animals than she could handle.
''We found dogs in very unsanitary conditions and very crowded living 
conditions,'' said Debbie Leddy, assistant director of Williamson County Animal 
Control. ''At least three dogs were in imminent danger of dying.''
One dog died yesterday morning and another was rushed to an animal hospital.
State law doesn't limit the number of animals a person can own, but it 
requires pet owners to properly care for the animals they have, Leddy said.
It took animal control officers, Williamson County sheriff's deputies and 
state attorneys more than 12 hours to transport, count and log all the animals 
taken from Siliski's home.
A search warrant was used to enter the house and confiscate the dogs. Davis 
said two housekeepers who had worked at Siliski's home came forward with 
complaints about unsanitary conditions. Leddy said she had received several 
complaints from neighbors about foul smells coming from the home over the past two 
years.
Judy Ladebauche, director of Metro Animal Services and formerly director of 
Williamson County Animal Control, lives near Siliski and said she had gotten 
complaints for at least five years. ''When I was director back in 1998, we found 
a white Maltese in the Harpeth River, near Forrest Crossing (subdivision),'' 
Ladebauche said. ''The dog was tracked back to Jenny Siliski, and we had 
gotten some complaints about bad conditions there.''
Ladebauche said she searched Siliski's house in 1998 with Franklin police 
officers and found only four dogs and clean conditions.
Leddy said animal control officers could not get a search warrant based 
solely on a neighbor's complaints about odors. She said several people who had 
recently purchased dogs from Siliski complained that the dogs were sick and did 
not appear to be the purebred pups they paid for.
Lainie Cantrell, public relations director for the American Kennel Club in 
New York City, said Siliski had registered dogs in the past. The AKC sanctions 
15,000 dog shows a year and maintains registrations of purebred dogs.
The organization inspects breeding facilities, but Cantrell said she did not 
know if Siliski's home had ever been inspected.
''I can say that until this matter is resolved, we will not be registering 
any of her dogs,'' Cantrell said.
The Williamson County Animal Shelter has received dozens of calls from people 
wanting to adopt the dogs or offer donations. The dogs are not available for 
adoption, but the shelter is accepting donations.
Leddy said the shelter also needs dog and puppy food, clean towels, shampoo 
and money. Donations may be sent to the shelter in care of Debbie Leddy, 138 
Claude Yates Drive, Franklin, Tenn. 37064.
Kids taken from home

State Department of Children's Services officials removed four children last 
night from a Franklin home where 230 animals had been confiscated Thursday by 
local officials.

Williamson County Sheriff Ricky Headley said the removals came about 7 p.m. 
on a judge's order ''because of unsanitary and unhealthy conditions in the 
house'' on Bowman Road.

Headley said the children would remain in DCS care at least through the 
weekend until a later hearing can determine whether they should be returned.

— Mitchell Kline

    

    

 
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