Puppy mill suspected in Stanwood
Published 10:20 pm Friday, January 30, 2009
STANWOOD — More than 80 dogs were found Friday in a Stanwood area kennel during a raid by animal control officers.
No dogs were seized, but living conditions for the dogs were not good and officials suspect the property was being used as a puppy mill, Snohomish County Animal Control manager Vicki Lubrin said.
The kennel was in the 8400 block of 180th Street NW. Snohomish County permits a maximum of 25 dogs on a single property with the proper license, so even if the kennel was approved, it had three times the dogs allowed.
Officials are trying to determine if there’s a connection between the Stanwood kennel and on ongoing investigation into what’s been reported as a multi-million-dollar illegal dog breeding operation based in Snohomish, with dogs seized near Gold Bar and in Skagit County.
On Jan. 16, animal control officers and Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies rescued 155 dogs living in squalor at a home near Gold Bar. Two properties in Snohomish were searched, which led to a the seizure of around 450 dogs from a kennel near Mount Vernon.
Charges were filed Thursday in Skagit County against the owners of the Mount Vernon kennel.
No charges have been filed in Snohomish County, where the investigation continues.
Animal control officers had been suspicious of the Stanwood kennel, believing it was operating at a much larger capacity than it was licensed for, Lubrin said.
Acting on a tip that dogs were being concealed during the routine license inspections, officers went to the Stanwood property Friday afternoon, Lubrin said.
“Sure enough, when the animal control officers went to the property unannounced, there was a shuffle to move dogs and they were caught with 82,” she said.
Animals are seized only when officials believe the dogs are in immediate danger, Lubrin said. While conditions were not good, there was no immediate threat to the dogs’ safety.
It’s likely there are additional puppy mills operating in Snohomish County, Lubrin said, adding that officials are following up on leads.
She said the best way to prevent illegal breeding is to purchase dogs from a reputable breeder or adopt a pet from an animal shelter.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com
