Topsfield woman denies animal abuse

CALAIS – A Topsfield woman appeared in 4th District Court Thursday and denied that her dogs were forced to live in unsanitary conditions. She also charged that the state had seized two cats and 31 dogs for no reason.

But state officials, in an affidavit on file with the court, said that visits to the home of Melinda Piche and Jaclyn Hager revealed that the women had violated state law because they failed to provide medical attention for their animals, did not have the correct license needed to run a breeding kennel, and failed to correct the animals’ living conditions.

“I have also found the dogs to be living in unsanitary conditions,” State Humane Agent Jennifer Howlett said in her affidavit. “They are selling sick animals, which are desperately in need of medical care.”

Attached to the affidavit was a statement from Dr. Joseph Nesin of the Chester Animal Hospital in Lincoln, who said he had been their veterinarian but had terminated his relationship with the women.

“Dr. Nesin … stated they were running a puppy mill and he had kicked them out of his practice,” the affidavit said.

When animals were brought to him, “most … arrived in poor condition; usually malnourished and parasite infested [external and internal],” Nesin said. “I found them to be deceptive to prospective buyers in as much as they would sell pups as having been vet checked when indeed they had not been.”

The women also sold pups they knew were predisposed to “congenital defects” including hip dysplasia, he said.

Howlett said she began her investigation after a Feb. 7 complaint from a woman whose daughter had purchased a shepherd puppy from the women for $280.

“The puppy was seen at North Country Animal Hospital [in Caribou]. The vet report stated the dog was missing hair from its hackles … [and] was very dirty, had worms and coccida and was rough and unthrifty looking,” the affidavit said. “The complainant reported that the puppies were left outside in the cold and snow with no shelter.”

On Feb. 9, Howlett said she visited the Piche-Hager residence. “There was garbage and clutter in the walkway to the front door and on the porch,” she said in the affidavit. “From the porch I could smell a strong odor of feces and urine, it seemed to be coming from inside the house.”

She issued a Notice to Comply and followed up in March. Howlett said that Piche told her that she did not need a breeder license because she had not sold more than 16 puppies.

Howlett said her investigation revealed that there had been at least 16 huskies sold.

The veterinarian at the Animal Hospital in Houlton said that she examined three dogs on Feb. 17 and found that they were thin. “Stool samples from Daisy, Mary and Zeppie all indicated whipworms,” she said.

When state agents returned in July, they found the house cleaner although it still smelled of urine. Labrador puppies were in the kitchen in a wire crate. “The crate had newspapers on the floor; pink/bloody watery feces covered the paper,” the affidavit said.

In August, the agent said the Houlton Animal Hospital contacted her. A puppy that had been purchased from the women appeared lethargic and was covered with dead lice.

On Aug. 12, the state executed a search warrant and seized the cats, dogs and 12 three-day old puppies.

During testimony Thursday, Piche said the town had issued her a municipal kennel license. She said she raised huskies that were working sled dogs.

Piche testified that Hager owned dogs that included Labradors, Great Danes and shepherds that were separate from hers.

She said that she kept an ample supply of food for the dogs and they always had water and proper shelter. She also testified that she was the one who gave the dogs their shots and de-wormed them.

She conceded that the house at times became musty and dirty, but said the two women were doing the “best we could.”

After nearly three hours, the case was recessed until Thursday, Sept. 16.