Accompanied by a sheriff's deputy, three Humane Society officers removed the dogs from a rural property at 141 N. Bodine Rd. owned by Steven John Yaroslaski.
The dogs included Pugs, Chihuahuas, Cairn terriers, Pekingese and Huskies.
Some of the dogs, which ranged from 5 months to 10 years old, were pregnant. A few wore collars so tight they were embedded in their necks and the skin had grown around them. Many had matted dreadlocks of fur caked with mud and feces hanging from their legs.
Veterinarians saw cases of rotten and missing teeth, ear infections, dehydration, overgrown nails and red, irritated feet from standing in feces, according to Humane Society officials.
Reached by phone Thursday night, Yaroslaski said he didn't realize things were so bad.
"I guess we didn't do a good enough job, and for that, I guess I'll be drug through the mud on this," Yaroslaski said. "I'm sorry for the dogs. They were all pets."
A citizen reported the situation to the Humane Society on Monday, and officers visited the property Tuesday. In a series of dog runs and sheds 100 yards from Yaroslaski's house, the Humane Society found dogs living and sleeping in a layer of mud and excrement. Several dogs would huddle together into a single plastic travel kennel for warmth. Their water bowls were black and slimy.
"It was gross," said animal control supervisor Mike Nicholson.
Cows and pigs on the property had adequate food and shelter, he said.
The Humane Society gave Yaroslaski, 59, a $98 citation for running a kennel without a county permit and a $294 citation for keeping animals in unsanitary conditions. He also might be fined $3,332 for mistreating animals, which amounts to $98 for each of the 34 dogs, Nicholson said, adding that it's too early to say whether the Humane Society will pursue animal cruelty charges.
The sheriff's deputy decided not to arrest Yaroslaski on criminal charges because he expressed remorse and said he knew the situation had gotten out of hand, Nicholson said. Last year, the Legislature set minimum standards for dog breeding facilities. For instance, shelters must be built so the dogs can remain dry and clean, and feces must be removed daily. Violations of the law are a gross misdemeanor.
The Humane Society was called out to the property once before, in July 2009. At that time, Yaroslaski had 12 dogs, and the Humane Society warned him he needed a county permit to operate as a breeder. The kennel was in much better condition then, Nicholson said.
Yaroslaski remembers that visit differently. He recalls the Humane Society said everything was fine and "suggested" he get a kennel license to make things easier.
"I was under the assumption at that point I was doing everything right," said Yaroslaski, a handyman by trade.
When the Humane Society came out Tuesday, the kennels were dirty because his outdoor water hoses were frozen and he couldn't wash away the feces, he said.
"Where the dogs sleep and stuff, there's no feces. It's fine," he added.
The dog area was muddy because last week's foot of snow was melting, and the floors were wet because the snow had caused the kennel roofs to leak, he said. The dogs had shelter and he hung heat lamps above their living areas in cold weather, he said.
Yaroslaski said he had so many dogs because he'd agreed to take in animals whose owners couldn't care for them anymore. Only two dogs had litters, and he'd kept some of the puppies and sold others.
"Then it kind of mushroomed a little bit," he said.
[Supposedly] realizing he had too many dogs, he began offering them for free on Craigslist and in the newspaper, but there were few takers.
Then the Humane Society showed up. Yaroslaski said the officers agreed to work with him while he brought his kennels up to standard, but then they returned and took the dogs. Thursday, he was given 72 hours — until Sunday — to fix the kennel situation to get his dogs back. Both he and Humane Society officials don't expect that to happen.
"They told me what was wrong and I said I would fix it. They're trying to make me look like a criminal," Yaroslaski said. "I didn't know I was out of line. ... I'm an animal lover."
The dogs will be bathed and groomed Friday. Once they're spayed or neutered and given a clean bill of health, they'll be put up for adoption, said Rick Johnson, executive director of the Humane Society.
(TDN - March 3, 2011)
