Pomeranians seized in cruelty case being evaluated

More than dogs removed from a breeder's home in Tampa Wednesday are being evaluated and moved to three animal shelters for additional care.

Devlynn Sanders with SPCA Suncoast in New Port Richey picked up 14 Pomeranians from Hillsborough County Animal Services on Falkenburg Road in Tampa this morning.

Sanders says some of the dogs must be treated for heartworms and given additional care. She anticipates it will be about a month before the dogs are available for adoption.

Other dogs seized from 72-year-old Maxine Reynold's home at 5117 Carey Road will also be cared for at Pet Pal Animal Shelter at 405 22nd St. North in St. Petersburg and the Humane Society of Tampa Bay at 3607 N. Armenia Ave. in Tampa.

A few of the confiscated dogs will remain at Hillsborough County Animal Services. Spokesperson Marti Ryan says anyone who wants to adopt one of the Pomeranians should keep checking with Animal Services to see when they're ready to be adopted.

Hillsborough County Animal Services removed the dogs from Reynolds home and charged her with 80 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. Animal Services Investigator Pam Perry says they had pleaded with Reynolds to reduce the odor, reduce the population and improve the living conditions for the dogs, but Reynolds had failed to do that.

Reached at her home Thursday, Reynolds said she's upset her dogs were confiscated. Reynolds said her home was not as clean as usual because a grandson who helps care for the dogs was in jail for a week. But Reynolds said it was clean enough.

"I get up at 6 o'clock every morning and I clean and take care of the animals and all that kind of thing," said Reynolds. "And the floor needs mopping, it's mopped and the dogs are cleaned up several times a day."

Though it appeared the floors had recently been mopped, there was still a strong smell of urine throughout Reynolds' house.

Reynolds said she plans to hire an attorney and fight the misdemeanor charges against her.