For the second year in a row, Kathleen Scott, who operates Friends of Pep Border Collie Rescue in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, has a few dogs appearing on the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet.
Only this time she’s doing so while facing charges. In December, Scott was charged by the Pennsylvania dog warden for having an illegal kennel, according to Philly.com.
Scott has yet to enter a plea, though she “disputes the charge,” according to the story. Under Pennsylvania state law, anyone possessing more than 25 dogs in a calendar year must obtain a kennel license. Scott says that she only had 22 dogs on her property when the warden visited, and others belong to a neighbor.
The story notes that Scott had given up her kennel license in 2011, when inspectors found numerous violations. That year, she pleaded guilty to failing to keep a kennel in sanitary and humane condition. Among the violations reported by Philly.com:
- Rusted, broken, and too-small cages.
- Dirt build up between cages and “strong stench of ammonia.”
- Inadequate outdoor shelter, and two dog houses in an exercise yard housing 20 dogs.
- Poor record keeping — at one point, 20 dogs were unaccounted for.
Also, the inspector’s report notes that the warden had to break up dog fights in the yard on two occasions. In one, a group of larger dogs were “mauling” a smaller one.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture, Samantha Krepps, called Animal Planet to tell them about Scott.
“‘I wanted to bring to their attention that she has been charged with operating an illegal kennel,” Krepps told Philly.com.
Scott disputed the illegal kennel charge to Philly.com in an email message, and she also said that many of the dogs come to her with health problems and are provided with heated beds and vet care. She has yet to enter a plea. She was also charged with failing to have licenses and rabies certificates for dogs in her possession. She disputes those charges as well.
The Friends of Pep Facebook page appears to be full of well-cared-for dogs seeking good homes. And these new charges are much milder than those of 2011; the warden did not note any mistreatment of the dogs, for example. That speaks volumes.
But it is still quite odd: Someone who pleaded guilty to failing to keep a kennel in “sanitary and humane condition” in 2011 has dogs in the Puppy Bowl in the two following years?
Via Philly.com
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