“After looking and hearing the evidence, I agree with the state, and the seizure of the dogs was appropriate,” Snider said. “We need to try to protect the animals. Frantz did not have records of rabies shots or dog taxes.”
“The animal shelter is currently dealing with this large number of dogs being held by the sheriff department pending a criminal case,” Preston County Animal Shelter Director Brittaney Shearer told the Preston News & Journal. “This has been the largest seizure in the county.”
Preston County Animal Shelter workers went to the home on Oak Grove Road after receiving a complaint that Frantz was selling dogs over the Internet without a county commercial dog breeder’s license.
Preston County Ordinance §19-20-26 defines a commercial dog breeder as anyone who maintains 11 or more unsterilized dogs over the age of 1 year for the exclusive purpose of actively breeding as household pets for direct or indirect sale.
Preston County Sheriff Deputy S.R. Mitter said she was at the home when the dogs were seized from Frantz.
“We were doing a breeder’s inspection,” Mitter said. “We were also concerned because of the advertisement there was more breeding going on.”
Frantz was issued a citation in June 2014 for non-payment of dog taxes. At that time, the defendant was found to be a commercial breeder, but, as Mitter testified on Tuesday, Frantz did not have a breeder’s license then or now.
Mitter said that when walking through the property, she found several water bowls full of algae and other debris. According to Mitter, several of the animals were left in crates without proper access in or out.
“I also did not see any food in bowls; it was on the ground,” Mitter said. “Food was mixed in with wood shavings in the dog house.”
Mitter did admit, on cross-examination by Frantz’ attorney Paul Estep, that she did know if the defendant had or had not fed the animals on the day of the seizure.
“While removing them from the vehicles at the shelter, we began to notice some possible medical problems, such as matting, an infection around the genital areas of one of the dogs and an ingrown toenail on another,” Shearer said.
Shearer testified that the dogs all had parasites, but have been dewormed since being in the custody of the sheriff’s department and under the care of the animal shelter.
“Every one of the dogs had fleas,” Shearer said. “Eight of the dogs who had bad matts in their fur were groomed by a professional groomer.
“There were 21 (dogs) who needed medical care,” Shearer said. “Our vet came out the next day, and we have been providing medical care since that time.”
The defendant’s veterinarian, Dr. Paul Deal of Countryside Animal Hospital, Oakland, Md., said he did not agree with the reported conditions of the dogs and found them to be in good shape.
“I have been treating Ms. Frantz’s animals for several years,” Deal said. “I did not see any health issues which would rise to the level of abuse.”
However, Dr. Deal could not testify about when he had actually treated any of the specific seized dogs because he did not have his office records with him.
After Snider said the dogs would remain at the animal shelter in the custody of the sheriff’s department pending a criminal investigation and charges, Frantz had the option of putting up bond in the amount of $18,000 for care of the animals for the next 30 days or relinquishing the dogs to the animal shelter. In addition, Frantz owes $7,712.15 in charges from Oct. 8 to Oct. 13 for boarding and veterinarian care.
Shearer said Frantz could be facing additional charges, including animal cruelty and abuse, in the coming days.
(Preston County News Journal - Oct 16, 2015)
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