People Turned Away From Adopting Puppies
Pet Store Owner Charged With Mistreating Animals
POSTED: 6:03 pm EST December 26,
2002
UPDATED: 6:21 pm EST December 26,
2002
INDIANAPOLIS -- Animal care officials are being forced to reject several people who have inquired about adopting 21 puppies seized from a south side pet store last week.
The dogs were seized from the Nutt & Butt Puppys store last week, RTV6's Jack Rinehart reported.The store's owner, Angela Cummings of Clay County, faces 59 citations on accusations of treatment violations.
The dogs, many of which were sick and covered in their own feces, have made remarkable progress. But the canines are caught in a custody battle, Rinehart reported.
Animal care officials have placed three of the puppies in foster care until a court decides who will take permanent ownership of the animals."There are eight Labrador retrievers, and those are going to be a little bit challenging because labs are a very popular breed and it's hard to find foster care for those," Animal Control Officer Dave Wintz said.Investigators said the puppies had congenital defects, infections and respiratory problems. Officials said the store has generated more than 150 complaints -- the most ever against a pet shop.Officials are issuing a general caution to the public that puppies sold in large retail operations come with a certain amount of risk."They are generally bred in terrible health conditions. They are pulled from their mothers too soon and we actually end up seeing some of them here at the shelter," Wintz said.The Animal Control Division believes it will find foster care for most, if not all of the puppies, Rhinehart reported.That hasn't stopped some people, like Rosa Langley, from trying to get hold of one of the animals before the legal process has worked its way out."I knew that some of those little puppies would be dropped off over here. I have two already and I lost one about two years ago and would like to replace one," Langley said.City officials will keep the puppies in foster care until at least Feb. 12. That's when Cummings' trial will be held, Rinehart reported.She faces fines of up to $2,500 for each of the 59 cases of animal care and treatment.
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Animal care officials have placed three of the puppies in foster care until a court decides who will take permanent ownership of the animals."There are eight Labrador retrievers, and those are going to be a little bit challenging because labs are a very popular breed and it's hard to find foster care for those," Animal Control Officer Dave Wintz said.Investigators said the puppies had congenital defects, infections and respiratory problems. Officials said the store has generated more than 150 complaints -- the most ever against a pet shop.Officials are issuing a general caution to the public that puppies sold in large retail operations come with a certain amount of risk."They are generally bred in terrible health conditions. They are pulled from their mothers too soon and we actually end up seeing some of them here at the shelter," Wintz said.The Animal Control Division believes it will find foster care for most, if not all of the puppies, Rhinehart reported.That hasn't stopped some people, like Rosa Langley, from trying to get hold of one of the animals before the legal process has worked its way out."I knew that some of those little puppies would be dropped off over here. I have two already and I lost one about two years ago and would like to replace one," Langley said.City officials will keep the puppies in foster care until at least Feb. 12. That's when Cummings' trial will be held, Rinehart reported.She faces fines of up to $2,500 for each of the 59 cases of animal care and treatment. Previous Story:
- December 20, 2002: Officers: Pet Store's Condition Worst We've Seen
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