The owner and a dog caretaker at a Pleasant Garden kennel was ordered to pay over $50,000 to help pay for the care of 98 dogs seized three weeks ago during an investigation.
Judge Angela Foster ruled that Sheila Marie Savage, who owns Rush Kennels, must pay the $50,400.90 bond to help cover the costs of 30 days of care for the dogs. Savage and Robert Landreth, who worked as a dog caretaker there, were charged with seven felony counts of animal abuse and five misdemeanor counts of animal abuse earlier this month.
Marsha Williams, executive director of the Guilford County Animal Shelter, says her records show that they have spent more than $43,000 to board the seized dogs, $2,400 in veterinarian bills and $2,900 on vaccines. The judge ruled that Savage has five days to pay the bond.
Savage told FOX8's Sheeka Strickland that she will fight the $50,000 bond and will see if she can avoid paying the fine. She also said that all of her dogs were cared for properly and the owners who bought the dogs that later died were not taking care of their pets.
"They were in good condition because if they hadn't been in good condition, I wouldn't have released them." said Savage. "Anyone can make an alleged complaint, but they need to be able to back it up. I can back it up. I have contracts on each and every client."
Savage says she has documentation that proves that dogs seized from Rush Kennels were seeing a veterinarian.
Some of the dogs seized from her kennel in early April were underweight, suffered from parvo or had ruptured eyes.
"They climbed out under the fence, the neighbor called our facility." Savage said.
Williams says the dogs with eye problems did not suffer from a run-in with a fence.
"The eye surgeries were not due to a scratch. This was a long term thing. They're not birth defects. If they were birth defects than they shoud've been taken care of when they were born, and they're years old and getting worse." Williams said.
Williams says shelter employees treated eight Rush Kennel dogs for parvo -- three of them died.
Savage's attorney, Kent Lively, asked Judge Foster to consider returning the animals that were considered house pets in the Savage's home, but Foster rejected the request.
Lively, who is representing both Savage and her employee Robert Landreth, says he believes his clients will be cleared of all charges.
"She's an animal lover and she takes good care of the dogs entrusted to her and we believe there will be an explanation for anything that has been alleged." Lively said.
Savage and Landreth each face 12 counts of animal cruelty in the case.
Judge Angela Foster ruled that Sheila Marie Savage, who owns Rush Kennels, must pay the $50,400.90 bond to help cover the costs of 30 days of care for the dogs. Savage and Robert Landreth, who worked as a dog caretaker there, were charged with seven felony counts of animal abuse and five misdemeanor counts of animal abuse earlier this month.
Marsha Williams, executive director of the Guilford County Animal Shelter, says her records show that they have spent more than $43,000 to board the seized dogs, $2,400 in veterinarian bills and $2,900 on vaccines. The judge ruled that Savage has five days to pay the bond.
Savage told FOX8's Sheeka Strickland that she will fight the $50,000 bond and will see if she can avoid paying the fine. She also said that all of her dogs were cared for properly and the owners who bought the dogs that later died were not taking care of their pets.
"They were in good condition because if they hadn't been in good condition, I wouldn't have released them." said Savage. "Anyone can make an alleged complaint, but they need to be able to back it up. I can back it up. I have contracts on each and every client."
Savage says she has documentation that proves that dogs seized from Rush Kennels were seeing a veterinarian.
Some of the dogs seized from her kennel in early April were underweight, suffered from parvo or had ruptured eyes.
"They climbed out under the fence, the neighbor called our facility." Savage said.
Williams says the dogs with eye problems did not suffer from a run-in with a fence.
"The eye surgeries were not due to a scratch. This was a long term thing. They're not birth defects. If they were birth defects than they shoud've been taken care of when they were born, and they're years old and getting worse." Williams said.
Williams says shelter employees treated eight Rush Kennel dogs for parvo -- three of them died.
Savage's attorney, Kent Lively, asked Judge Foster to consider returning the animals that were considered house pets in the Savage's home, but Foster rejected the request.
Lively, who is representing both Savage and her employee Robert Landreth, says he believes his clients will be cleared of all charges.
"She's an animal lover and she takes good care of the dogs entrusted to her and we believe there will be an explanation for anything that has been alleged." Lively said.
Savage and Landreth each face 12 counts of animal cruelty in the case.
