PARAGON, Ind. — Morgan County authorities seized almost 100 animals from a property in Paragon recently.
Self-described "hobby breeder" Irene Waterbury admits she had issues with her dog kennel operation, but believes she took good care of her animals.
Waterbury has left the kennels, outside and inside her home, untouched for a week after she surrendered 62 dogs, 17 chickens, 11 ducks, and three cats.
"It's like a ghost town,” said Waterbury, trying to control her emotions. "They came out here saying that they were doing a check. They didn't really state why they were taking the animals at first, but then they told me that some of them needed vet care and this and that."
Waterbury admits some dogs needed rabies vaccines and she had more than the 20 female breeding dogs allowed on her property. Animal Control said her dogs had inappropriate housing, medical issues, and injuries from fighting among kennel mates.
"It wasn't just somebody that just didn't care or take care of their animals,” said Waterbury. “There was a situation that led up to this. If that situation never happened, this would have never happened."
Waterbury said that situation is that a dog which was boarding with her died of starvation while she was gone on Christmas vacation and left a family member in charge of the DeMaree Bullz Kennels. Waterbury believes the owner of the deceased dog reported her to authorities, even though other dogs owned by the client also boarded with Waterbury and were healthy. Waterbury said she also offered the woman two dogs after the death of her dog.
Waterbury breeds American Bully dogs. She said she can sell them for between $750 and $2500.
"I just wish that like they could have given me a citation or something, because some of the dogs weren't mine, and they gave me like 30 days to clean up my act basically or something,” said Waterbury. “But I understand. I'm not happy about it. I'm upset about it. They had told me they weren't pressing charges as long as I willingly released the animals in their care. So, of course, I did that, because it was a lot of time and charges they were giving me."
The 93 animals seized are in the care of the Morgan County Humane Society, which has left the facility in Martinsville overflowing at almost double its capacity. The organization has received a huge outpouring of community support and supplies. They said it is fully stocked, short on storage space, and asking anyone who still wants to donate to consider gift cards. The facility is closed to the public indefinitely to allow staff to deal with the huge intake of animals - Waterbury's animals.
“I’m stressed out because I don't know what's going on with them,” said Waterbury.
Waterbury said because she surrendered her animals willingly, she doesn’t think she can get any of them returned.
Morgan County Animal Control said the investigation is awaiting medical reports from a state veterinarian.
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