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UPDATES:
May 9, 2009
A 72-year-old woman whose dogs were seized last month in what officials called the largest dog seizure in Ingham County’s history could face charges as early as next week.
Animal Control Director Jamie McAloon Lampman said she expects to forward the case to the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office on Monday. She would not comment further.
Attorney Kevin Tyrrell, who now is representing Joan Skillman, declined to comment about possible charges. “As far ask making a statement – with the possible criminal case pending, we don’t think it’s appropriate to do that,” Tyrrell said.
Animal Control officers on April 27 went to Skillman’s Mason-area home and seized about 70 dogs. Skillman is a championship breeder of Australian shepherds, and many have defended her, saying she loves her dogs.
Officials said many of the dogs were living in filthy conditions. Kennels were filled with several inches of feces that had been covered with wood chips; and one pen was filled with about 3 to 4 inches of water from which dogs could not escape.
Animal Control has since placed most of the dogs that were seized in foster homes. Tyrrell said Animal Control allowed Skillman to keep about five dogs.
Earlier this week, several people were on Skillman’s Nichols Road property, cleaning the areas where the dogs lived. They turned away a reporter and declined to answer questions.
Tyrrell said Skillman is gathering records on all the dogs that were taken. He said one dog ran away when Animal Control first came to the property. The dog had not been located as of Friday.
From: Lansing State Journal
May 3, 2009:
MASON – Ingham County Animal Control received an abundance of support after close to 70 Australian shepherd dogs were seized from a rural Mason kennel April 27. Shelter Director Jamie McAloon-Lampman called the seizure the largest ever at the shelter. Unfortunately, the shelter, located at 600 Curtis St., greatly exceeded its capacity of about 100 dogs, McAloon-Lampman said.
The Australian shepherds, she said, were assessed for temperament and health issues after being taken in at the shelter, and not every dog was available for adoption yet. However, McAloon-Lampman stressed that current shelter dogs had been assessed and could be adopted or fostered immediately. “They’re available and ready to go,” she said.
Ready to help
After the public learned of the seizure and the need to free up shelter space, many people showed up at the shelter April 28 to help. “People waited in line after closing,” McAloon-Lampman said.
As of April 29, she said, at least 76 dogs – a combination of shelter dogs and Aussies – had been placed in permanent or foster homes. “What an outpouring of really cool people,” McAloon-Lampman said. If not enough shelter space was available, staff might have had to make some “tough choices,” McAloon-Lampman said. * * *
McAloon-Lampman said the dogs were living in “very bad conditions,” having to stand in “inches and inches” of thick mud. “They had to stand in it, be in it, live in it,” she said. According to McAloon-Lampman, a tip led investigators to the dogs’ home where the suspect, who has not yet been identified, breeds and sells Australian shepherds.
David Wilcox, deputy director of Ingham County Animal Control, said the agency is continuing its investigation of the case and will present findings to the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office to determine if charges will be brought against the dogs’ owner. McAloon-Lampman credited the Cascades Humane Society in Jackson and the Lansing-based Animal Placement Bureau for their help in the recent crisis.
May 1, 2009:
Some who have seen the 70 animals contend county’s move wasn’t needed
The 70 dogs seized Monday from a Mason-area breeder were well fed and cared for, according to local breeders who have seen them. And, a woman who specializes in rescuing dogs agrees with the breeders. Joan Skillman, who has been raising Australian shepherds for more than 20 years on her Aurelius Township property, is a championship breeder, people who know her say. The 72-year-old Skillman has been recognized by organizations including the American Kennel Club.
The seizure of Skillman’s dogs was unnecessary, said Chris Reedy, the Midwest regional coordinator for Aussie Rescue, a national organization that helps dogs of that breed. “She loves these dogs.” Reedy – who lives in DeWitt and has bought two of her dogs from Skillman – said she visited Skillman last week and saw healthy animals running around a fenced-in yard. Reedy described some of the dogs as “fat.”
“I’d never do anything to intentionally harm my dogs,” Skillman said Thursday in a brief telephone interview. She did not want to comment further and referred questions to Michelle Lund of South Lyon, who is serving as her personal representative.
Ingham County Animal Control officers on Monday went to Skillman’s Nichols Road property and seized the dogs, after receiving an anonymous tip about poor conditions. Officials called it the largest seizure in the agency’s history. The dogs were living in mud, Animal Control officials said, and the kennels had several inches of feces that had been covered with wood chips. One outside pen was filled with about 3 to 4 inches of water and the dogs could not get out of the water.
‘It had been raining’
“I think it was blown out of proportion,” Reedy said. “It’s been raining, it’s springtime in Michigan.” Many of the dogs have been placed in foster homes. Animal Control Director Jamie McAloon Lampman did not return messages Thursday seeking comment. The agency has been overwhelmed with calls from people looking to adopt or take in the dogs, according to a voice-mail message. Lund, who is a breeder and is knowledgeable about animal regulations, said a few of Skillman’s friends contacted her about looking into what happened.
She said Animal Control officers went to Skillman’s property without warning Monday. A stunned Skillman agreed to sign the dogs over to them, Lund said. Officials said earlier this week that they will present findings to the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office to determine if Skillman will face charges.
Lund said she saw recent television news video of the confiscated dogs and thought she was looking at stock footage of Australian shepherds because they appeared so healthy. “The dogs were fat, their coats looked to be in good condition, they were all friendly and healthy and let the volunteers handle them,” Lund said. “It makes me question what’s going on.” Lund added that she believes there is more to be uncovered. “I believe it’s someone else that instigated this,” Lund said without being specific.
Local breeders said Skillman may have taken on too many dogs, but the animals appeared healthy. “She probably got more dogs than she could handle,” said Ellen Brandenburg of Thornapple Aussies in Vermontville. Referring to television news footage, Brandenburg said: “I see dog houses, I see toys, I see clean concrete. She can’t be condemned for having wet dogs when we’re having a monsoon.”
Had health checks
The dogs had regular health checks and the kennel had passed annual inspections, said Skillman’s daughter, Pam Henry, who lives nearby. Skillman even warmed their food in winter, Henry said, adding that her mother bottle-fed the puppies and would stay up all night with them, if necessary.
Henry said about half of the 70 dogs confiscated were under 1 year old. One was a male champion Skillman bought for $5,000. Some were older dogs who had outlived their usefulness for breeding and “were there to be fed, loved and hugged and live out the rest of their days,” she said. “None of those dogs were in danger,” Henry said. “To come in there with trucks … and haul the dogs out of there – it was totally wrong.”
