Press Releases - The Humane Society and Adoption Center at PAWS

PAWS removes more than 90 dogs from Baker home

February 1, 2007

Copyright 2007 Northwest Florida Daily News

By: Adam Ziglar

February 2007 --BAKER — Animal control officers removed more than 90 dogs from a home Thursday afternoon in what they called the largest dog seizure in Okaloosa County history.

After neighbors complained about an incessant stench and a filth that washed into nearby yards on rainy days, officers from the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society removed 92 dogs from the home of Carol and Joan Oldacre.

The sisters live at 6352 Old River Road in Baker. Animal control officers said there was no evidence the animals were mistreated, only that there were concerns about the home's living conditions.

Four vans and a horse trailer were stacked with dog crates.

Some people can fix their own problems. This was a situation where outside intervention was necessary," said Dee Thompson-Poirrier, PAWS director of animal services.

While some puppies were very skinny," the other dogs have been fed recently and were not malnourished, Thompson-Poirrier said.

The 1,003-square-foot brick home is nestled in a curve just off Old River Road.

Sitting on a one-acre parcel, only about a third of the property is fenced.

Thompson-Poirrier said the dogs — Great Danes, Labradors, Pekingese, Pomeranians and several mixed breeds were inside most of the time.

"They were inside unless it started raining," she said. "The living conditions — there was no way to get a wholesome exchange of air in the house for the dogs or the women."

Thompson-Poirrier said the sisters live together and one has "very poor health."

The owners cooperated with PAWS, and no charges will be filed. However, Thompson-Poirrier said she is seeking a court order that would allow her to routinely go in the home and make sure the owners do not return to a similar situation.

The sisters were allowed to keep five dogs each. They can't breed the dogs and they have to pay $20 for each dog for spaying and neutering.

According to officials at a Crestview veterinarian office, spaying can cost anywhere from $120 to $300. Thompson-Poirrier said she will use grant money to help the women pay for the procedures.

"This is like a hoarding situation," she said. Something clicks that tells you that you are the only one that can keep these animals safe. People keep getting more and more until they get in over their heads.

"There's no doubt that they did love these animals, but 80-plus dogs would be overwhelming for anyone," she said.

The owners were buying two 50-pound bags of food a day," Thompson-Poirrier said.

"For that many animals, I'm surprised that much food would feed them," she said. "Some of the Great Danes weighed 200 pounds."

Jerry Cross lives nearby at 8315 Old River Road.

A school bus driver for Baker School, cross said students put the bus windows up when she drives by the Oldacre home.

"When it rains, all the filth from that yard runs down the road and into my yard," she said. "These are my neighbors. I like the girls. The take excellent care of the dogs. But the filth — that's just too much filth inside the house.

"I've been watching Animal Planet enough to know that they do things to prevent these things."

The Okaloosa County Health Department, the county Sheriff's Office and PAWS have responded to neighbors' complaints in the past.

"We had been dealing with them for quite some time," Thompson-Poirrier said. "We got together and said, 'Enough is enough.' "

The dogs are currently being sheltered by PAWS and are up for adoption. Thompson-Poirrier said her facility can house most of them, but added PAWS volunteers would bring some of them to their homes.

Several rescue groups will be at PAWS today helping place the animals in homes.