Lisa Mussi, of North Summit Road, Greene Township, pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty and was sentenced to pay close to $1,000 in fines and court costs and 180 days probation. The 18 remaining charges were withdrawn.
As a condition of her probation, District Judge Brian R. Arthur ordered the Mercer County Humane Society to perform random monthly inspections to check on the animals, some of which are about to give birth.
Humane Police Officer Renee Dorogy said there are now 25 animals on Mussi’s property, including 11 Doberman pinschers. Mussi was forbidden by the court to bring any more animals onto the property.
A representative of Furever Homes Doberman Rescue, Trish Worden, said she was part of a team that rescued five adults and four puppies in bad shape from the Mussi home on Sept. 22, 2014.
”They all came out like they hadn’t seen light in years,” Worden said. “They had urine burns. Their teeth were worn down like they’d been trying to get out of cages.”
Worden was in court for Mussi’s hearing because she had been asked to testify, but never got the chance because of the plea agreement.
”Most everyone I’ve talked with about this Lisa Mussi case really believed that this time it would stop and this time through this court date they would remove every animal from her property,” Worden said. “Everyone is disgusted, furious and sickened by the outcome.”
Worden said Furever Rescue was alerted to the dogs’ state when the Mercer County Humane Society posted on their website that they needed help finding homes for 21 dogs.
Mussi had been running Royale Doberman Kennel out of her residence, where she was breeding and selling dobermans, and was certified to give them rabies shots. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture website, the kennel had many “unsatisfactory” ratings in several inspections and voluntarily closed in 2012.
One of the dogs handed over by Mussi in September 2014 named Baron could not stand up because of a deformity of a hind leg, and his head was always hanging, Worden said.
“When he was seen by the vet he was at the beginning of kidney failure. He also had an issue with his heart. After numerous different medications and attempted treatments Baron ceased to be after two months,” Worden said. “Due to massive kidney failure his body began to shut down and he had to be euthanized in a Pittsburgh clinic. This dog never could be house broken completely, but (his foster family) loved him as a family pet, which he never had before.”
Mussi and her husband Paul agreed in November to settle a lawsuit filed by the attorney general’s office alleging they sold ill Doberman pinschers and refused to take them back or reimburse buyers for vet fees.
The Mussis settled that suit for about $6,000 in restitution and court costs.
Lisa Mussi had been prosecuted in 2010 on charges relating to the sale of sick dogs.
The state-licensed kennel, which also operated under the name Luvstruk, voluntarily closed in 2011 following repeated citations for failing to keep the facility in a safe and humane condition for the animals.
Inspections in 2011 noted an overwhelming stench of ammonia, dogs being kept on short chains in pens, dogs in crates that did not give them room to turn around, dogs forced to lick water off the floor because no other water was available. One dog, housed in a plastic dog crate, had mange and the operators were ordered to get vet care ASAP.
This was not the first time Lisa Mussi was cited by the state. Under a 2010 agreement with the Attorney General's office Mussi - then Lisa Erb of Greenville - was cited for failing to register her business name, then Luvstruk Kennel, and was ordered to abide by consumer protection laws.
A Facebook post from Nov 2014:
Lisa Erb/mussi Royale Dobermans has 20plus dobermans in her basement. She is also hiding them with Dale Wiley. Both of these people are still producing Doberman puppies. These are the same people that released nine dogs to rescue in September
The day we went to get the dogs the stench of urine was overpowering. All the dogs including the FIVE puppies were timid and unaware of what sunlight felt like.
The day before Lisa Mussi contacted us the mercer county humane society took many of her peacocks, chickens and all her horses on her property. The Humane Society was not aware that Lisa Mussi had many more horses on another property.
The 26 plus Dobermans were hidden away in her basement. Read all the reports fr prev years of all the filth the dogs are forced to live in. Rather than correcting the serious issues Lisa Mussi gave up her kennel license. The dogs are still living in that filth.
If anything is a puppy mill Lisa Mussi is one. Jamestown PA has a horrific puppy mill. It needs Stopped now.
We all need to work together to get all the dogs to a safe place. Rescues are ready and willing to house these poor dogs.
(Sharon Herald - Dec 11, 2015)
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