600 rescued dogs and 80% are pregnant

It's a puppy tsunami.

After authorities seized nearly 600 dogs in raids in two counties over the past week, the number is only expected to climb higher since most of the animals are pregnant and the puppies just keep coming.

"We've already had two litters born," said Bud Wessman, director of Everett Animal Services, which is caring for 155 dogs seized from a Snohomish County property on Jan. 16. "We have six that will give birth over the weekend and probably another 10 litters coming up in the next week."

The Snohomish County property has been linked to another property in Skagit County, where authorities seized another 135 dogs on Wednesday and returned Friday to seize the remaining 308. The owner of the Skagit County property, near Mount Vernon, is the mother of the woman who owns the Snohomish County property near Gold Bar.

The dog seizures in both counties have animal-control officials struggling to care for the crush of animals. Officials estimate about 80 percent of the 598 dogs are pregnant.

Most of the dogs are miniature Chihuahuas, shih tzus, poodles, Yorkshire terriers and so-called "designer" dogs, deputies said.

According to Chief Criminal Deputy Will Reichardt of the Skagit County Sheriff's Office, investigators believe a puppy mill was being run primarily out of the five-acre Skagit County property in the 16000 block of Mountain View Road under the name Mountain View Kennel.

The first batch of approximately 135 dogs was seized from Mountain View Kennel during the Wednesday raid. Those dogs — sick, matted, standing in their own feces and left without food and water — were deemed to be in need of immediate medical care, he said.

The second batch of 308 dogs was taken from the property on Friday after authorities determined they might be infected with a potentially deadly intestinal parasite, Reichardt said.

Most of the dogs taken from that property are being sheltered at the Skagit County Fairgrounds although some have been placed in foster homes, Reichardt said.

In the related raid in Snohomish County last week, deputies and animal-control officers rescued 155 dogs that were sick, filthy and covered with fleas, according to Snohomish County license manager Vicki Lubrin. Those animals are at the Everett Animal Shelter, she said.

According to Lubrin, the dogs were typically bred at the Gold Bar and Skagit County properties.

The dogs were sold from a third family property in the city of Snohomish, which was described as a "nice country house," according to Paula Helinski, who lives near the family's Skagit County property and has spent years collecting documents to expose the alleged puppy mill. Dogs also were sold through an Internet site called Wags & Wiggles Teacups, she said.

Authorities raided the Snohomish property on Jan. 16 and found 44 dogs. Although the number was in violation of the kennel permit, the dogs were left behind because they appeared to be in good shape, Lubrin said.

Law-enforcement and animal-control officers in the two counties say they are working together to investigate the case and that they expect animal-cruelty charges to be filed against the owners.

The Seattle Times is not naming the property owners because charges have not been filed.

At the Skagit County Fairgrounds on Friday, an army of animal-control officers, sheriff's deputies, rescue activists and volunteers worked to transport, sort, clean, bathe and medicate the animals.

It will take some time before the animals' fate is known, said Wessman, the director of Everett Animal Services.

According to Wessman, the dogs' owners have 15 days to either surrender the animals to the counties or post a bond that would cover the medical and boarding costs for the animals for the duration of their stay in the shelter, which, if criminal charges are filed, could be lengthy.

If they are turned over to the counties, Wessman said, the animals will have to give birth and then be spayed.

Wessman said he has spoken with officials from the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine about having the animals spayed and neutered en masse by students. He said this could be a great solution for the animals and a good learning experience for the students.

After that, a mass adopt-a-thon could be scheduled. He said the Academy of Canine Behavior in Bothell has offered to host one when the time is right, he said.

He and officials in Skagit County warn that it could take some time to restore the animals to health and prepare them to be fostered or adopted out.

Animal-control officers are additionally asking that anyone who purchased a dog from the Mountain View Kennel leave a message for animal-control officer JoHannah Deterding at 360-336-9450 or e-mail her at johannad@co.skagit.wa.us.

Christine Clarridge: 206-464-8983 or cclarridge@seattletimes.com