Breeder in puppy mill investigation sued by dog owner

SNOHOMISH — The Snohomish dog breeder being investigated for her part in an alleged multimillion-dollar puppy mill is being sued for $10,000 for allegedly failing to provide proof that one of the dogs she sold is registered with a national kennel organization.

Renee Roske, the owner of Wags ‘n’ Wiggles, did not provide American Kennel Club registration papers for Chantee, a Yorkshire terrier puppy purchased for $1,629 on Nov. 14, 2007, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Snohomish County Superior Court.

Roske kept promising to mail the papers to the Snohomish County man who bought Chantee, said Elizabeth Elliott, the man’s attorney.

“He finally got fed up and is suing for damages,” Elliott said. “It’s a breach of contract for not providing papers.”

Roske said Wednesday she hasn’t seen the lawsuit but would try to obtain the papers for the man.

“It’s not like I’m trying to scam anybody,” she said.

Roske in January was linked to a Gold Bar-area home where Snohomish County officials rescued around 160 dogs from what court papers described as deplorable conditions.

Following the Gold Bar raid, sheriff’s deputies searched Roske’s Snohomish home and seized financial papers and suspected illegal drugs.

Roske has not been charged.

She said the papers the man is seeking in the lawsuit were seized by deputies and are being held as evidence.

Roske, who has sold dogs in Snohomish for more than a dozen years, lost her Snohomish kennel business license after the January raids. She now is limited by law to keeping no more than three dogs. Her appeals to get her license back have been denied.

Detectives continue to investigate Roske, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said.

Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com

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