Puppy mill operator, Debra Sue Leonard, 59, gets probation for 'attempted animal cruelty'

MICHIGAN -- A Cohoctah Township woman sentenced Thursday for attempted animal cruelty claimed pride kept her from getting help when she needed it.

Debra Sue Leonard, 59, told the sentencing judge that she has spent her life and "a lot of money" caring for her horses and dogs. She said pride kept her from asking for help when she faced health issues and a "bad winter" that led to what authorities called unsanitary living conditions.

"I love them," she said. "The hardest thing is to give them up. They're not just my pets. They're part of my life. ... They were in good health. It was mud on them, not feces."

Typical of a puppy mill, the breeder takes the
puppy into the house for photos - so you don't
see the squalor they're living in

Livingston County Circuit Judge Michael P. Hatty was not swayed, however. He told Leonard she was "not seeing with objective eyes" and he followed the plea deal that called for a two-year probation sentence that includes a provision that she not possess or own animals.

Probation requirements also call for Leonard's ineligibility for early release from probation and she is to allow Livingston County Animal Control officers and probation officers to randomly inspect her property to ensure she is not keeping any animals.

Leonard earlier pleaded no contest to one count of attempted animal cruelty, a one-year misdemeanor, knocked down from the original felony charge of animal cruelty to four dogs to 10 dogs.

Under the plea deal, the prosecutor's office dismissed two counts alleging Leonard had unlicensed Keeshonds, which are medium-sized dogs with a plush, two-layer coat of silver-and-black fur.

The show dogs were seized in April from Leonard's Beaubien Court home, west of Byron Road, after theywere found living in unsanitary conditions, including feces and urine, and had no food or water, authorities said. At least two of the dogs were not licensed, authorities noted.

The dogs were housed at Livingston County Animal Control, but have since been turned over to a national Keeshond rescue group. Under the plea deal, Leonard must pay an estimated $15,000 in restitution to Animal Control for housing the animals during the criminal case.

Leonard showed the dogs under the name Cinderlad Keeshonden. According to Cinderlad's website, Leonard continued the business after the original owner, Patricia Tocalis, died in March 2009.

On Thursday, Leonard said the American Kennel Club revoked her standing after the criminal case was publicized.

"I don't have any intention to breed again," she said.

(Livingston Daily - Sept 9, 2014)