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Dogs Seized From Wimauma Roadside Vendor Up For Adoption

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By KEITH MORELLI

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 8, 2008

BRANDON - Fourteen of 26 dogs seized last week from a roadside Wimauma dogmonger became available for adoption Wednesday.

When animal control officials rescued the animals, they were infected with a dangerous bacteria and the hazardous materials techniques were used to scrub them up.

One week after they were seized, the dogs, which include six golden retrievers, four basenjis, two Shih Tzus and two bichon frises, were cleared by Hillsborough County Animal Services to go to good homes.

Acting director Dennis McCullough said the dogs had been rescued from a fenced backyard where a septic tank had overflowed.

"The dogs were living in raw sewage," he said. That presented all sorts of health problems. Animal services investigators were called in after a customer who bought a dog from the roadside stand complained that it was sick and that one of his children became sick as well.

The man who sold the dog has not been located. His wife signed off on the request to turn over all the animals, and that's how they came into the custody of the county, he said.

Isabelle Roese, a staff veterinarian with the shelter, said the dogs were infected with campylobacter coli, an intestinal bacteria, and the dogs up for adoption today have been successfully treated. The remaining eight dogs are still under observation.

"These appear to be in very good health," Roese said.

Authorities are looking for the dog seller, said animal control spokeswoman Marti Ryan. Investigators say he has several aliases and may have fled.

No charges were filed against his wife.

Several people waited in line outside the shelter this morning, eager to adopt some of the animals, particularly the golden retrievers.

Denise Jones drove up from Palmetto in Manatee County and was intent on adopting a golden retriever. She even had a name picked out: Bailey. Jones wanted a pal for her 9-year-old golden retriever, Coda.

She was out of luck, though, as Hillsborough residents got first shot at the animals.

If any are left, Jones can return today to get one, officials said.

Al Atwater of Tampa was looking for a small dog for his daughter, whose greyhound recently died.

"She has a pug and a Jack Russell terrier," Atwater said. "I have two bulldogs. I don't need any more dogs."

In addition to the 14 dogs seized last week, two canines that were victims of cruelty were up for adoption. Columbus, a husky who is allergic to grass and went untreated and lost all his hair, was shown along with Harry, the sole survivor of an abusive home where all the other dogs seized were euthanized.

Columbus, said McCullough, is 12 years old "and is the happiest he has ever been."

And Harry, he said, "is a character. He has really responded to the care he has gotten here, but he really needs to get out of here and go to a forever home."

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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