http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=12712110
By Derek Dellinger
Pet store helps bring down illegal puppy mill
Posted: Jun 25, 2010 5:36 PM EDT
Updated: Jun 26, 2010 10:09 AM EDT
LEE COUNTY: Lee County Animal Services says they've caught a Missouri man accused of running an illegal animal broker operation. And it was a local business that helped bring the man to justice.
Adam Leath, of Lee County Animal Services, says 26 puppies were taken from a man they say was selling them illegally in Fort Myers.
"They had no adequate ventilation, no food or water, it was not a good situation for those dogs to be in and they had never been seen by a veterinarian," said Leath.
The puppies, only about eight-weeks-old, were born in Missouri puppy mills and kept in cages, according to Lee County Animal Services.
They say that a licensed puppy broker by the name of Louis John Souza was selling them illegally.
"Animals actually have to be given a certificate of veterinary inspection before they're offered for sale or even being transported into the states for the purposes of being sold," said Leath.
Souza was in town to sell the puppies to the Pet Kingdom off US-41. But store owner Charlotte Hornsby knew something was up the paperwork never showed.
"As we suspected, the health certificates and USDA forms were not in order, which is something we absolutely require," she said.
She called the USDA and Animal Services. Now Souza faces 50 charges for transporting pets without the proper paperwork.
Half the pets were left with Animal Kingdom to be cared for. The other half went to Animal Services.
"They just need a little TLC, a little bit of care and socialization because they haven't really known the human touch," said Gloria Letendre, of Lee County Animal Services.
Souza is due to be arraigned in July. But the puppies are going quicker than that.
Lee County Animal Services says they've already adopted all but one out. And as soon as Pet Kingdom gets theirs checked, they'll be sold to a good home.
Click here to read more about Souza's past.
http://www.dm.usda.gov/oaljdecisions/vol59/Vol59_at_276.htm