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THE “GREATSINGER GREAT DANES” SAGA
After Pierce County
seized the dogs and all the puppies were born,
Dane Outreach ended up caring for 9 adults and
25 Great Dane puppies for over seven months,
while the criminal case against their “breeder”
wound its way through court.
We are a small group with about five
foster homes. The needs of these dogs and
puppies came close to overwhelming us.
Throughout
this major effort, Dane Outreach had to also
place the other Danes who of course continued to
come into our program the “usual” way, through
shelters or owner surrender.
We could never have done
it without the amazingly generous support of
dozens of people who gave however they could,
donating time, care, food, supplies, transport,
and money to help in this effort.
The story is a long one.
Here is a brief summary of events:
6/21/07
Bernadette Vohs, (a/k/a
Jackie Greatsinger, Bernadette Beyers,
Jackie Vohs, and others), doing business as "Greatsinger
Great Danes" was arrested by the Pierce
County Sheriff's Department and released on
bail. Approximately 15 dogs
(2-3
Danes and several other breeds) are seized by
Animal Control due to their physical and/or
living conditions.
(Breeds were Danes, Saint Bernards,
English & French Bulldogs, Miniature Poodles,
Miniature Dachshunds, Yorkshire Terrier, Pug,
and a Scottie-mix.
6/29/07
The remaining dogs then on Vohs’ property
are confiscated.
A total of about 35 dogs owned by her
are held in the Tacoma Humane Society.
At this
time, Dane Outreach is told there were
12 adult
Danes and a 5-week old litter of eight.
The Humane Society would not release the
Danes to us at that time, pending permission
from the Auditor’s Office (in charge of Animal
Control) and the Pierce County Prosecutor’s
office.
7/23/07
Dane Outreach is notified that we can now
take the Danes into foster care, as criminal
charges against Vohs were pending (and the Danes
were having puppies).
The Humane Society was overloaded with
these dogs, and knew it would be a while before
they could be adopted. (No one knew it would be
over six months!)
By this time there was
a second
Dane litter of 12 puppies who were one-week old.
Vohs sets a court
hearing for 8/9 to get her dogs back because no
charges have been filed against her.
7/27/07
Morning:
Dane Outreach is notified that
the
remaining three adult bitches are also pregnant.
Afternoon:
Another litter (7 ) is born.
[During the next
three weeks:
Dane Outreach goes into “high-speed
overdrive” trying to find foster homes in order
to get the Danes out of the shelter.
We needed experienced people who could
take nursing bitches/litters, and who could
whelp the new litters -- another 15-20
puppies were anticipated -- and also take
the other (non-housebroken) adults and the older
litter. We were very fortunate to find wonderful
people with
very
generous hearts to take everyone, including the
puppies and pregnant girls.]
8/3/07
Two misdemeanor charges are filed against
Vohs in District (lower) Court:
One charge of “second-degree animal
cruelty” and one “no kennel license” charge.
(Felony charges are pending.)
The dogs are still legally owned by Vohs,
but remain in the County’s custody -- and in our
foster homes. Filing
the charges cancels her Aug. 9 scheduled hearing
to get the dogs back.
Meanwhile, the remaining two Dane bitches
whelp, one litter has four of eight surviving, none of the 16 in the other
litter survive.
8/24/07
Felony charges are filed against Vohs in
Pierce County Superior Court:
Ten counts of fraud (One count 1st
degree theft; nine counts 2nd degree
theft); one count of doing business on a revoked
business license.
9/6/07
Vohs is arraigned.
Schedules another hearing for return of
dogs to her, argument is that they were
illegally / improperly seized.
(Motion is re-scheduled twice.)
Trial is set for 11/21.
Dane Outreach finds foster homes for the
25 puppies
that are now old enough to leave their
littermates and go out to individual homes.
10/31/07
Vohs’ Motion for Return of Dogs is heard:
Vohs’ attorney argues: Seizure was
illegal, dogs were not neglected and state can't
seize just for lack of county kennel license.
The State argues : The state “felony forfeiture”
law allows (temporary) seizure of property “used
or intended to be used in a felony, until
disposition (trial). The argument continued on
11/5, 11/8 and 11/30. (Trial is re-set for
12/3/07)
11/30/07
The
judge denies Vohs' motion to
get her dogs back, ruling that the seizures (15
dogs on 6/21/07 for neglect; 20 dogs on
6/27/07 due to “use in a felony”) by the
county/state was legal.
New trial
date of 1/28/08 is set.
12/14/07
Vohs is ordered to post a $15,000 bond
toward the care costs of the dogs.
12/17/07
Media reports reveals the shelter board
bill (which taxpayers will pay) is over $90,000.
[Search on “Greatsinger” and “Vohs” in
the Tacoma News Tribune (www.thenewstribune.com),
KING 5 TV
www.king5.com
and KOMO TV
www.komotv.com
website for this story and related reports.]
2/1/08
Vohs requests that the dogs be sold and
the proceeds credited towards what she owes the
County for the board bill at the Humane Society.
Judge Grant agrees to “protect the
taxpayers” and orders that the “dogs be sold on
the Internet to maximize the proceeds.”
The
County prosecutor tells the judge that it was
not legal for the County to sell pets like that
but the Order is entered.
Neither the Auditor, the Sheriff, nor the
Tacoma Humane Society
(nor Dane Outreach!) wants them sold, of
course – most of them have been in the same
foster homes for months, and those homes are
waiting to adopt them.
A plan
is made by the County to obtain appraisals of
the dogs, to avoid their actual “sale.”
All the foster homes and Dane Outreach
rush to supply photos and information.
2/22/08
Vohs enters a plea deal, pleading guilty to
six felonies and
one count misdemeanor animal cruelty.
She is barred from buying or selling any dogs
for ten years. She also is under "house
arrest" for a month, 30 days in jail
(suspended), and will pay restitution in amount
determined at a restitution hearing.
The State (County) requests Judge Grant to
cancel her Order to Sell the dogs but she
refuses.
2/29/08
Judge Grant reviews appraisals of the
dogs, in which AKC judges give their opinion on
the
“fair market value” of each dog.
The appraisals persuade the Judge that
their health makes a sale impractical, they area
worth very little, and that it is not in the
best welfare of the dogs.
She cancels the sale Order.
3/3/08
No longer under an order to sell them,
Pierce County transfers ownership of the dogs to
the Tacoma Humane Society.
3/5/08
The Humane Society transfers ownership of
the Danes to Dane Outreach.
Dane Outreach is FINALLY able to start
altering, micro-chipping and ADOPTING out the 34
Danes they have been caring for over the last
seven months!!
Lots of VERY happy (and exhausted) people
and dogs!!!
3/28/08
Restitution hearing scheduled (not held).
4/11/08
Restitution hearing scheduled (not held).
5/2/08
Restitution
hearing
scheduled
(not held).
5/23/08
Restitution
hearing
scheduled.
5/23/08
On May 23, Judge Grant ordered that Bernadette Vohs (a/k/a/ Jackie Greatsinger) pay restitution of $113,000 to the County (for care costs of the seized dogs) and $6,000 to the people named as victims in the fraud charges. The Judge "credited" her with $15,000 towards that bill (about $300/dog) for the value of the dogs that were seized.
The story does not really end here.
Most of the Greatsinger Danes were
adopted by the specially-recruited foster
families who cared for them all this time, but
Dane Outreach still needs to find just the right
homes for a few.
The need for education about “backyard
breeders” and “puppy-millers”
certainly
does not end here.
Dane Outreach will continue its mission
to help educate people about Danes, their needs,
and how to find a reputable breeder.
And, of course, we will continue to help
place Danes who need new owners into just the
right “forever home.”
To accomplish this, we will continue to
need your support.
Thank
you.
The Humane Society
remained responsible for food and basic
veterinary costs of the Danes, which totaled
over $14,000, while they were owned by the
County and were in Dane Outreach foster homes.
But Dane Outreach wishes to
thank the Great Dane Club of America, many local
veterinarians, and the many individuals who also
contributed to handle the “special needs” costs
incurred by these dogs.
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