Dog rescue a national effort
By DAVE PAYNE Sr., dpayne@newsandsentinel.comArticle Photos
PARKERSBURG - When Maryann Hollis left Philadelphia to start her new position as executive director of the Humane Society of Parkersburg three weeks ago, Parkersburg seemed to be a small, sleepy town.
That is, until a thousand dogs were dropped in her lap Saturday and she found herself in the midst of one of the largest animal-rescue operations in the nation and the largest in West Virginia history.
Luckily, she's had some help as organizations and volunteers from across the nation have pitched in to help move and care for the dogs.
The dogs were surrendered by Whispering Oaks Kennel Saturday, after officials executed a search warrant at Sharon Robert's Internet-based dog-breeding business at 301 Whispering Oaks Lane, Parkersburg.
The Wood County Sheriff's Department reported the owner's husband, Edwin R. Roberts, 73, of 301 Whispering Oaks Lane, Parkersburg, was arrested at 4:25 p.m. Sunday on charges of assault of a police officer and obstructing a police officer. He was scheduled for arraignment Sunday evening in Wood County Magistrate Court. Details surrounding the arrest were unavailable at press time.
It took two days to move all the dogs into a Parkersburg warehouse for temporary housing. There is much still to do: each of those thousand dogs has to seen by a veterinarian. Each needs its cage cleaned, fed, watered and perhaps an occasional scratch behind the ear.
The warehouse was a flurry of activity Sunday, with dozens of volunteers moving dogs, cleaning cages, feeding dogs, bringing in supplies and checking on puppies and pregnant dogs - which will soon be moved to where they can be better cared for - about to give birth.
Many of those volunteers are from Parkersburg. Others hail from all over the nation - from groups including the Humane Society of the United States, Best Friends Animal Society, The Humane Society of Missouri, the Tampa Bay Disaster Animal Response Team and United Animal Nations.
It's an effort of monolithic proportions, but Hollis said it's one of the most satisfying undertakings she's ever been a part of.
"Pennsylvania is well-known for its vast amount of puppy mills and people brought so many of those dogs in to us, but the mills kept going. To be able to see one of those close down instead of just taking dogs they've sold has been a dream come true for me," she said.
Some of the dogs were dehydrated, but most were in relatively good health. One dog, however, was initially feared to have had a broken pelvis, but Sunday's prognosis for the animal was far worse, said Carrie Roe, the Humane Society of Parkersburg's board president.
"The dog's pelvis is not broken. The bad news is, it is paralyzed in the rear legs. The good news is one of the organizations here - Best Friends Animal Society - has committed to taking care of that dog for the rest of its life," she said.
Roe said the dog's injury was not new.
"The dog has been in this condition for some time," she said.
The majority of the dogs aren't the puppies people usually purchased from Whispering Oaks for several hundred dollars each. Although there are many puppies, as well as some yet to be born, most are adults, Hollis said.
"These were the dogs that were breeding machines," she said.
The dogs were kept in wire mesh enclosures, most about three feet by three feet, resembling rabbit hutches, Roe said.
Roe said dogs who have lived their lives on wire mesh often have difficulty learning to deal with other surfaces.
"They don't know how to walk in grass. They get in it and they feel this strange sensation on their feet and they will stumble and fall over. You literally have to teach them to walk on grass," she said.
Hollis said the dogs can also have difficulty learning to walk on carpet and may avoid flat, hard surfaces, such as tile floors.
Applications for adoption won't be accepted until Saturday. Roe said finding homes for the dogs will be a complicated process.
"These dogs have had very little human attention, they fight for it. Dogs from puppy mills typically don't do well with other dogs. These dogs have never been on a leash. They have seen so many more people in the last 24 hours than they have seen in their entire lives," she said.
"It's like this," Hollis said. "Imagine you live your entire life inside your house - one room inside your house - and you never leave it. Once a week, somebody dropped groceries at your door. That's what life was like for these dogs - just one room, wire mesh, and you pooped where you slept."
In addition to the problems the dogs may have getting acclimated to human contact, they will also be difficult to housebreak, Hollis said.
"Most dogs have ample space. They can poop and get away from it. But if you've lived all your life sleeping in poop, it's difficult to learn any other way," she said.
On its Web site, which has been taken down since Saturday, Whispering Oaks cited a policy of not allowing people to visit the kennel because of insurance and liability purposes.
Not being allowed to see the conditions dogs were reared in should throw up a red flag to anyone wanting to purchase a dog, Roe said. She said there are numerous reputable dog breeders and those wanting to purchase a dog should expect some degree of transparency.
"If you can't see where the dog was born and raised, you simply shouldn't be buying that dog," Roe said.
The cost of the rescue operation could exceed $100,000 and the humane society needs monetary donations most of all, Hollis said. Volunteers are also in need of meals, she said.
To donate or volunteer to help with the dog rescue, call the Humane Society of Parkersburg at (304) 422-5541.
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RageAgainstTheMachine
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08-30-08 11:05 PM
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Mrs. Roberts if you are out there reading some of these comments, I hope you get a lawyer, a really good one and SUE the crap out of those involved in this theft. By the accounts of the "RESCUERS" own admission most of these animals were in good health. What Law was broken? People you better wake up, next thing you know the "RESCUERS" will be coming to your home to check your papers, and travel passes, telling you that you can only have 2 children and if you have to girls then one has to be aborted. There are a lot more important issues than the supposed bad treatment of these animals. Get a life people, you all are more upset over a bunch of dogs, when there are young children being sold into slavery, pedophiles pushing there garabage, all kinds of domestic abuse going on. Shame on all of you.
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NotJoMama
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08-26-08 3:12 PM
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Anyone adopting a dog from HSOP that is not already altered pays $30. THEN the dog is taken directly to a vet by a shelter employee for altering. The new owner picks up the dog from the vet and pays the altering bill. Anyone who adopts a dog already altered pays $35. Period. It is WV law for dog pounds/shelters but not for puppy mills.
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NncyK333
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08-26-08 2:53 PM
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Do you want to know what is really disgusting!!! A friend of mine went down to the warhouse in Parkersburg to volunteer and help with fostering. She was told to fill out an application because they are going to have the dogs up for sale on Sat. for $30 each. To anyone. That's it, that simple. SHAMEFUL. UNALTERED!!!!! That means that instead of 1000 dogs in trouble it could possibly turn into 10,000 dogs. Looks like everyone all the way around is profitting off of these poor creatures.
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DachsieFriend
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08-26-08 1:55 PM
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National Legislation is needed to stop puppy mills across the country. People like Sharon and Edwin Roberts need to be kept from just moving to another state and starting a new puppy mill operation.
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NotJoMama
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08-26-08 12:32 PM
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Don't forget about the homeless pets already at the shelter who will die without homes. They are the big losers here. Everyone wants to help by taking a purebred from the rescued. Don't let the ones already at the shelter die. There are plenty of people to adopt the ones taken from Sharon Roberts.
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NotJoMama
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08-26-08 12:31 PM
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Don't forget about the homeless pets already at the shelter who will die without homes. They are the big losers here. Everyone wants to help by taking a purebred from the rescued. Don't let the ones already at the shelter die. There are plenty of people to adopt the ones taken from Sharon Roberts.
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Mike123
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08-26-08 8:10 AM
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Great comment roversfriend! Also teachers speak out for children and the children can speak if they are hungry or in pain - puppies cannot speak for themselves! If you read the article in the paper today Sharon Roberts sounds mostly concerned with the fact she lost 250k in profits from the dogs being taken.
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roversfriend
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08-25-08 11:32 PM
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Bowermj: The article in discussion is about dogs, not children. However, I have conferred with my puppy and we have decided that next month when he gets his food stamps, welfare check, clothing vouchers and school lunch vouchers he would be glad to forward them on to your starving children. Get real, with the programs that are in place, the only reason for a child to be hungry in Wood County is parental neglect.
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doxierescuer
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08-25-08 11:16 PM
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This is so horrible. I am with a national Doxie rescue group and we will help as much as possible. Maybe people will finally understand the horrors of puppy mills. As for the needy children in our country, everyone has their chairties that they support. I understand people donate to children's charities anc could care less about animals. Why can't people understand that there are also people who care a great deal about animals and just let us support them without trying to make us feel bad for doing so.
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NncyK333
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08-25-08 11:01 PM
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If the media wants to check out more puppymills they need to look at the one in Morgantown, WV calling themselves J&J Farms. They keep all of their dogs in barns in the horse stalls. Disgusting. How are they getting away with it. There is also a few in the Fairmont and Clarksburg area. Something NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!
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NncyK333
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08-25-08 10:49 PM
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Brooks-Yes, I completely agree there were far to many animals but I can tell you that the pictures they showed on the video was NOT Whispering Oaks Kennel. It was video from a few different puppymills and I know that first hand. The media really played this one up. I am appalled at them as well.
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Bowermj
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08-25-08 9:20 PM
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It's nice to see all the outpouring of sympathy for these animals. Remember that tomorrow, thousands of children in Wood County start school WITHOUT nice shoes, clothes, supplies, etc.Also remember winter and Christmas are coming...these kids may have no presents, warm coats, etc. I love animals, but the priorities are wrong. I hope folks will carry on these virtuous acts when the next story about hungry children appears on these pages......
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Bowermj
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08-25-08 9:19 PM
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OK- I didn't get your attention.......WHAT ABOUT STARVING, POOR, UNEDUCATED CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are HERE in Wood County. Why do you not care about them? Hope your puppy keeps you warm at Christmas....the children don't have that option............
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niksmom
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08-25-08 6:53 PM
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Spirited - My "Shame on you" was for noangel. I totally agree that more should be done, but this case is far from over. As far as your comments about the other volunteers there, I was one of them and I can assure you that NONE of them (Ginny and family included) are doing it because they had to. It's a matter of plain love for animals. I also know that the Humane Society has tried to raid this property in the past, but Ms. Roberts was always tipped off prior to and was ready for them. I'm just glad this time was different. And you're right, we need to change our laws!!
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breaktime
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08-25-08 6:52 PM
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Seems to me Ms. Conley and her daughter should be commended..and perhaps her concern had nothing to do with this woman but knowing she needed to do something on the spot to get those dogs out of there...but it does seem that after the math is done she can and should be able to be prosecuted under a whole different list of laws broken..I don't know the fees for not being legal for the amount of dogs owned or how one is taxed for the amount of dogs since they were not life long members of the house but for sale...the sales should be traceable to some degree and tax files checked with a fine tooth comb ..and I would think even if she were not arrested for cruelty that she could be held accountable for the bill to clean up the mess ...thank you to all who have gone and helped in some way...
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Spirited
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08-25-08 6:18 PM
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Shame on Me?? For what.. thinking more needs to be done. Spending a day at the shelter makes her righteous. I am glad she was there, but so were many others, and what about the volunteers, no one said they HAD to be there. This should never of come to this. This is something that should of taken place years ago, before the numbers grew to 1000+. Yes we need better laws, but we all know that will never happen. Animals are not high on the list of priorites with our politicans. But that is a whole nother story. Our justice system plea bargains all the time.. No more plea bargaining, you do the crime.. you do the time!
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Bowermj
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08-25-08 6:11 PM
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It's nice to see all the outpouring of sympathy for these animals. Remember that tomorrow, thousands of children in Wood County start school WITHOUT nice shoes, clothes, supplies, etc.Also remember winter and Christmas are coming...these kids may have no presents, warm coats, etc. I love animals, but the priorities are wrong. I hope folks will carry on these virtuous acts when the next story about hungry children appears on these pages......
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Mike123
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08-25-08 6:02 PM
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I am sure Ginny Conley is a good person and is working within the confines of the law. Going forward and for all dogs in the future, what can we do to get laws passed to protect them and to get rid of puppy mills? I know thye are illegal in many states, what is the first step? If someone tells us how to best proceed I am sure we would all support such laws.
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EmilyL
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08-25-08 5:58 PM
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Sharon Roberts has the nerve to tell the Charleston newspapers that her dogs were stolen from her. This lady has no remorse for treating animals as vermin for the last 30 years.
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roversfriend
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08-25-08 5:05 PM
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Spirited I am on your side, but prosecute her for what? what constitutes animal abuse in WV? If there is no law to cover this lady,s actions then that is the fault of our legislature. That is the place to start to correct this problem.
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roversfriend
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08-25-08 4:47 PM
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Spirited I am on your side, but prosecute her for what? what constitutes animal abuse in WV? If there is no law to cover this lady,s actions then that is the fault of our legislature. That is the place to start to correct this problem.
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niksmom
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08-25-08 4:44 PM
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Are you kidding me? Shame on Ginny? Did you even read the articles? She is not prosecuting the animal abuse because there is still an ongoing DEP investigation. Unfortunately, the animal abuse laws in WV aren't enough to put a person like Sharon Roberts in jail long enough. But, pollution violations are a different story. Don't shame Ginny. She and her daughter spent Sunday working at the shelter, aiding in the rescue! SHAME ON YOU!!!
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Spirited
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08-25-08 4:28 PM
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I also think part of her punishment should be that is sent a bill for all the expenses that the HS will incure. People of Parkersburg, love their animals, we treat them like family members, well mosty of us do. We come out in droves for Walk your Paws, all those efforts will never even scratch the surface as to the cost of this operation. How could this of been going on in our own back yard, and WHY did it take so long be corrected? Zoesmom reported it several years ago!! Mrs Roberts might be a nice lady, polite and gracious, but she wore 2 hats, the other one was of greed and inhumane.
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Spirited
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08-25-08 4:21 PM
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People PLEASE.. stop this insanity.. go to HSUS****, watch the video. This woman has to be held accountable for what she has done. How could Ms Conely, not prosecute?? She obviously is not an animal lover. I understand the woman turned over the animals but does that mean all is forgiven? Explain that to the 1000 plus helpless dogs that she treated like machines. We are talking about warm blooded animals.. God gave them to us, not to make us wealthy, but to love and cherish. My heart aches for these animals, they need us to speak for them! JUSTICE NEEDS TO BE SERVED!
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Mike123
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08-25-08 3:30 PM
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Lest any others have sympathy for the owner, below is a direct quote from one of the rescuers from the HSUS who participated in the raid: "A temporary shelter was set up not far away in a warehouse. It took two days to transport all the animals to that site. That's when volunteers realized some of the females had never had any human contact. Most had never been out of their cages. "I pulled a girl out yesterday. She's been there about seven years I estimate,” Haisley said. “She's been producing a couple dozen puppies a year her entire life and her only human contact I imagine is limited to being scruffed, having her puppies plucked off her and then put into a box to start the process all over again. That has been her existence." How would Sharon Roberts like to be kept in a box for 7 years with no human contact???? This woman is cruel and should be prosecuted.
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