SEIZED DOGS BEING TREATED FOR NEGLECT

Nine of the 32 purebred and registered dogs seized from a Bertrand kennel Feb. 10 are still being medically treated at a Cape Girardeau veterinary clinic.

Jhan White, administrator of the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri and its animal shelter in Cape Girardeau, said eight of the dogs are responding well to treatment while the chances for one is "iffy."

Four of the dogs gathered from feces-filled pens with no running water at the business operated by Peggy Matthews in Bertrand have been humanely destroyed, White said. The four were diseased and injured beyond treatment, she said.

Nineteen of the dogs are being tended at the Cape Girardeau shelter.

"We are getting lots of calls for adoptions," White said, "but there is no guarantee that the animals will be available for adoption."

The dogs still belong to Matthews, who moved from the property after a December fire destroyed her house, which she was renting. The water was turned off after the fire.

Humane society and law enforcement officials seized the dogs after an inspection of the kennel grounds on Feb. 10. White said officials saw some of the larger dogs fighting, a lack of kennel maintenance, only small amounts of frozen water in pans and some dog skulls. She said the larger dogs were pushing the smaller dogs away from what food was visible at the kennel.

White said she didn't know if Matthews, who owns the animals, will come to the shelter to claim them.

While caring for the dogs, the shelter has been documenting their condition and treatment. That information will be passed on to the Mississippi County prosecuting attorney's office, who will determine if any state criminal charges are to be filed against Matthews. Animal cruelty is a misdemeanor.

Matthews already faces charges in Bertrand municipal court for ordinance violations relating to dogs running loose, howling dogs and creating a nuisance with offensive odors.

Matthews is scheduled to appear before Bertrand's municipal judge on Feb. 27. She could be fined up to $100 for each municipal violation.

White said she hopes such cases of animal abuse become rare in the state as the Missouri Department of Agriculture enforces the Animal Care Facilities Act passed in 1993.

Kennel operators have to be licensed and will be inspected under the new state law. Missouri has been one of the worst puppy mill states in the country, she said.

"It's serious business if kennels don't comply. They'll be shut down and if they return to business, they could face prison time," White said.