Humane Society may get custody of puppy mill dogs

A circuit judge may rule today on whether 153 dogs — and 79 puppies born to them after seizure from an alleged puppy mill in Waimanalo — will be forfeited to the Hawaiian Humane Society.

Circuit Judge Glenn Kim could also rule that Bradley International Inc., owner of the dog-breeding facility, must pay for the dogs’ care until a criminal case is decided. Kim listened to testimony Thursday from four humane society witnesses.

Dr. Ann Sakamoto, a veterinarian with VCA Kaneohe Animal Hospital, testified she saw two to three days’ worth of fecal matter built up on the floors of some enclosures and heavy swarms of flies.

“What struck me was there wasn’t any real clear space for the dogs to step on,” said Sakamoto, who was summoned to inspect the large-scale breeding facility and helped in the decision to seize all the dogs.

Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro filed 153 second-degree animal-cruelty charges against Bradley International, the facility’s operator, on May 26, alleging it deprived the dogs of necessary sustenance or sufficient care to preserve their health and well-being. Each count is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

The humane society said in June the cost to care for the animals had exceeded $240,000, and it seeks to force Bradley to grant it custody of the dogs.

The hearing will conclude today with three witnesses expected to testify on behalf of the humane society, which seized the dogs from 41-761 Mahailua St.

Vernon Luke, one of three officers of Bradley International, appeared in court Thursday. The humane society’s attorney, Kevin Sumida, showed blown-up photos of the unsanitary conditions and asked Sakamoto to describe the situation.

When she put her face up to the enclosures, “I felt my eyes tearing,” due to a “very strong ammonia odor” from urine.

What little food she saw was strewn across the floor mixed with feces, and water bowls were either empty or had dark brown or green water, she said.

Sakamoto said many dogs had fur severely matted with feces from prolonged exposure, and feet infected from trampling on waste.

She said she was shocked to witness a dog giving birth while four other dogs, including a male, were present in a single enclosure. The mother dog snarled to protect her puppies, she said.

Bradley’s attorney, Jason Burks, questioned Sakamoto on whether she knew when the dogs had been fed and whether the unsanitary conditions existed in all the enclosures or just some.