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A search warrant served on the morning of Feb. 19 authorized authorities to check on the status and well-being of the animals at JB’s Precious Puppies, just north of Seneca.
Two veterinarians, a representative of the Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri State Humane Society accompanied deputies and Sheriff Ken Copeland to inspect the property.
“After we examined everything we were all in agreement that the living facility and the care of these animals was just appalling and was not acceptable so the animals were all seized,” Copeland said.
More than 300 dogs and a female tiger were removed from the property. Several of the dogs were sick or injured, Copeland said, and did not appear to be receiving care.
“They were living in what looked like rabbit hutches made of wire and all their feces would fall through the wire, but it had built up and some of it was coming back into the cages,” Copeland said.
“The dogs appeared to all have food in their automatic feeders, but there wasn’t any water. What few pens did have a water bowl that had any water in it was frozen, but the others didn’t have water. They had an automatic watering system set up but it was all above ground and with plastic pipes and it was froze and busted and looked like it hadn’t operated for a long time.”
Initial estimates put the number of dogs at close to 200, but the number found continued to rise as officers searched kennels and barns across the property. The dogs were taken to the St. Louis Humane Society.
The tiger was tranquillized, given an IV and taken directly to the Dickerson Park Zoo. It did not appear to be ill.
“It was just malnourished, malnourished to the point that they figured it weighed about 175 pounds and it should be weighing over 400 pounds — the age and bone structure that it was,” Copeland said. “There were some carcasses of dead puppies in the tiger’s pen, which indicated to me that’s what the tiger had been eating.”
Exotic animals must be registered with the sheriff’s department. Kennels are licensed by the department of agriculture and subject to periodic inspection. Both requirements were met by owner Jewel Bond, who may face criminal charges. To have her animals returned she will need to pay for the animals care.
“The owner of the property can come in and post a bond for up to 30 days of care for the animals – that protects the people who have them right now,” said Jake Skouby, Newton County prosecutor. “And I imaging there will be a hearing to determine what to do with the dogs.”
A search warrant served on the morning of Feb. 19 authorized authorities to check on the status and well-being of the animals at JB’s Precious Puppies, just north of Seneca.
Two veterinarians, a representative of the Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri State Humane Society accompanied deputies and Sheriff Ken Copeland to inspect the property.
“After we examined everything we were all in agreement that the living facility and the care of these animals was just appalling and was not acceptable so the animals were all seized,” Copeland said.
More than 300 dogs and a female tiger were removed from the property. Several of the dogs were sick or injured, Copeland said, and did not appear to be receiving care.
“They were living in what looked like rabbit hutches made of wire and all their feces would fall through the wire, but it had built up and some of it was coming back into the cages,” Copeland said.
“The dogs appeared to all have food in their automatic feeders, but there wasn’t any water. What few pens did have a water bowl that had any water in it was frozen, but the others didn’t have water. They had an automatic watering system set up but it was all above ground and with plastic pipes and it was froze and busted and looked like it hadn’t operated for a long time.”
Initial estimates put the number of dogs at close to 200, but the number found continued to rise as officers searched kennels and barns across the property. The dogs were taken to the St. Louis Humane Society.
The tiger was tranquillized, given an IV and taken directly to the Dickerson Park Zoo. It did not appear to be ill.
“It was just malnourished, malnourished to the point that they figured it weighed about 175 pounds and it should be weighing over 400 pounds — the age and bone structure that it was,” Copeland said. “There were some carcasses of dead puppies in the tiger’s pen, which indicated to me that’s what the tiger had been eating.”
Exotic animals must be registered with the sheriff’s department. Kennels are licensed by the department of agriculture and subject to periodic inspection. Both requirements were met by owner Jewel Bond, who may face criminal charges. To have her animals returned she will need to pay for the animals care.
“The owner of the property can come in and post a bond for up to 30 days of care for the animals – that protects the people who have them right now,” said Jake Skouby, Newton County prosecutor. “And I imaging there will be a hearing to determine what to do with the dogs.”
Only after the hearing would the Humane Society be able to put the animals up for adoption.
“They’re either going to send them back to where they came from or their going to authorize the — in this case the Humane Society— to dispose of them one way or the other,” Skouby said.
Bond could be charged with either animal abuse or neglect.
“I’ll make that determination when I see the reports,” Skouby said, “See if any criminal charges are justified.”
It was not the first time the sheriff’s department has been called to the property. In 2007 they responded to a complaint and the operation, then known as Bond Kennels, was shut down and the dogs were sold at auction.
This time Copeland says they plan to press charges.
“We will certainly present our case to the Newton County Prosecutor and request that charges of animal neglect and animal abuse are filed on her,” Copeland said.
“Our hope is that she can’t do this again.”
Copeland said he is forwarding reports to the prosecutor’s office this morning for consideration.
