Woman has 23 shih tzus as pets

[misticaleclipse]

Now does she sound like a loving owner or a byb? there are equal the amount of females to males, Wouldn't a byb have more females than males?


Dog Owner Will Appeal Ordinance
3:00 PM EST, December 15, 2006
By GREG SEAY, The Hartford Courant

WEST HARTFORD *– -- The owner of 22 Shih Tzu dogs said today she has no plans to part with members of her "family'' and has lodged an appeal of the town's efforts to force her to have no more than three of the animals.

"I want my dogs till they die,'' dog owner Faith Kilburn said. "I love them. They love me.''

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A West Hartford enforcement zoning officer went to Kilburn's Walbridge Road home at 2:10 p.m. to verify the number of dogs living there.

Enforcement officer Eva Espinosa said nothing more will happen now that Kilburn has lodged her appeal.

Kilburn said she and the town have received letters, emails and phone calls – some from as far off as Arizona -- in support of her retaining custody of the 11 male and 11 female pets.

found here (http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-dog-appeal,0,1851128.story?coll=hc-headlines-local)

Look how orderly they are!

http://www.courant.com/media/photo/2006-12/26908000.jpg

[mojozen]

I guess the first question to ask before you ask anything else is "are they spayed and neutered?"

[savethebulliedbreeds]

From what I can tell they look to be in good shape. But I too, wonder if they are spayed and neutered.

Yes, most BYB'ers have more females than males. It would cost them too much to keep all the males around when they don't need them.

I think this woman just simply loves her dogs.

[Amalthea]

that is a lot of dogs! But, from the photo the house looks really nice and the dogs (the ones that you can see) look well taken care of... I guess it's unusual to have so many, but if she's not living in filth, if they're all being fed and taken care of, if she isn't breeding them, I guess I don't see the harm, unless 22 yappy shih tzus are keeping the neighbors awake, lol...that might be a problem. That picture just gave me this funny mental image of all these shih tzus following her around in a line like baby geese, hehe

[~Tucker&Me~]

No matter how much she loves them, how can she possibly have enough time for each individual dog?

I still do not think it is ethical.

~Tucker

[Meggie]

I don't know about this woman, she sounds like she cares for her dogs in every respect. Unfortunately, you do have to wonder. Didn't she know about the three dog bylaw?

A little more to the story:

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17593218&BRD=1646&PAG=461&dept_id=11035&rfi=6

"About four years ago, Kilburn bought four shih-tzu dogs over a two-year period. Since then, some of the dogs have had litters and now, they total 22. A few, she said, have been given away or sold over the years."

THAT I find scary. Hopefully she's gotten them fixed now.

I really think the town should beef up their spay/neuter regulations, then something like this maybe wouldn't have happened.

[SeniorPetLover]

No matter how much she loves them, how can she possibly have enough time for each individual dog?

I still do not think it is ethical.

~Tucker

It is a full time job, but it is possible. I try to spend time with each of the residents at my house every day and they all sleep with me at night. We take walks and we play in the yard. I guess the good thing is that seniors don't really have very high energy levels :)...they are happy to curl up with me on the sofa...I would say that the greater portion of my time goes to administering meds, making vet runs, cleaning up, and grooming, but I love it just the same! They are all beloved pets and are treated much better than many of the single pets that I know...It takes dedication and committment, but it can be done...all of my guys are spayed/neutered...there is no breeding going on...there is also no selling...once they arrive at Heaven's Gate, they have their forever home...sadly many of them don't get to stay long...I'm a bit sucpicious of this woman though...she doesn't do rescue, so they were all bred form her original 4...leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth...

[Zoom]

They all look pretty well taken care of, but that's a lot of inbreeding going on...and just way too many dogs, especially if she works at all.

[Meggie]

I'm a bit sucpicious of this woman though...she doesn't do rescue, so they were all bred form her original 4...leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth...

Yes, and it sounds like a lot of them have medical problems. Just the thought of 22 dogs from the original 4......

[casablanca1]

I wonder how the authorities got onto the woman's owning so many dogs, though. I mean, there's no mention of the dogs running amok through the town's streets, etc. Personally, as long as they're not bothering anyone - the house doesn't smell, they're not barking constantly or attacking the mailman, she's not running a for-profit kennel - I'd think the cops would have better stuff to do.

[YorkieLover]

I just read the article and I feel like if all these pets are fixed and they are living in excellent conditions then leave it alone. Make a stipulation that she may never get anymore and let her keep them until they pass on.

[misticaleclipse]

I do not think we can assume that the original 4 dogs all where bred to make these dogs. Its possible, but its also possible she rescued some, bought some, etc.

This sounds to me like a good compromise and something that the authorities
should let her do rather than fining her or taking away these dogs. It sounds
like the get a good amount of attention because she does not work and
they seem clean, orderly and are crated at night.

She said she would be very agreeable to promise never to buy any more dogs, never replacing any if they died. In that way, there would be a natural reduction in the number of her dogs.
"I never wanted to bother someone's peace," she said. "I don't want to move to a three-acre house in Granby. They have coyotes in Granby. My dogs are inside dogs, anyway, causing no trouble to anyone. Let me keep them until then die."

[shadowfacedanes]

I've seen people with 12 plus dogs treat them more humanely and kept them in better conditioned better than some people with only one dog.

I think if her crime is having 22 dogs that all sound as if they are well loved and properly cared for, then perhaps a stipulation that they be altered should be enacted, and then leave the lady alone.

She doesn't sound like a hoarder, and she doesn't sound like a puppy miller. She just sounds like someone who needs a little nudging and otherwise just really loves her pets.

On a side note, I've had up to eight danes and another large mixed breed living inside with me in a small house. They were all bathed weekly, fed premium food, vaccinated, medicated, exercised, socialized, spayed/neutered, properly contained, trained, etc. I got some strange looks and rude comments muttered at me from my neighbors too. :cool:

[scob89]

Well I think that if the town has a law that says you can only have three then she should only be able to have three at a time. Thats what laws are made for.

[Alex]

Even if I had the space and the time...I don't think I could handle 22 dogs.

The vet bills, food bills, and poop clean up must be amazing.

[dogstarsleddogs]

If there is a dog limit, she should obey it. As hard as it may be to give up a dog(s) in this case, the law is the law.
Like us, we have 12 dogs, and 6 cats, for a total of 18 animals. I'm able to give all attention, love, and care. (I'm the main animal caretaker, in charge of all cats, and my 10 dogs) Its really not that hard to do, some days it can be stressful, but all in all, its really easy. Animals just become your life.

[krisykris]

I wonder if she didn't know how many dogs she was allowed until she already had way too many.

[otch1]

I think there's more to this story. Would like to know what the neighbors take on this is. This is deffinitely considered hoarding. According to articles, if I've read them correctly, she took on 4 adult unaltered dogs and within a few years, from these 4 dogs, did not spay/neuter, bred and kept the puppies. Only having given away/placed a few. It stated the dogs all came from these original 4. Shihs' have small litters, she's bred them more than once. Twenty two dogs requires a hobby or commercial kennel license. Which one... depends on her county. But if one person's allowed to keep 22 dogs, that sets a presidence for the next neighbor that wants do the same. The state can not afford to go there. Unfortunately, if they don't grant her a kennel license, she'll be finding homes for these dogs. There's no way around that. I'm just very suprised they didn't confiscate them and are only threatening to fine her until she's resolved this. She may be a very nice woman and possibly be providing the best home for these dogs, but it's quite illegal, she can't expect to be an exception. Hopefully, she'll rehome them herself before the county comes in and takes them to the shelter for placement.

[Road dog]

This sort of thing is a very sore subject with me. My opinion is that the city / county has no business telling people what they can and can not do on their own property. Issues like this should be handled on a case by case basis. If the dogs are in poor condition and living in filth, or if they are causing a ruckus in the neigborhood, then by all means animal services should step in and remove them.

If however the dogs are healthy, happy, well cept, clean, and not bothering the neigbors, this lady should be left alone.

No funding for case by case enforcement? Maybe if politicians quit giving themselves raises every year for doing the same job, there would BE more funds available. Public good has nothing to do with it. The people with the power institute policies that they think will A... bring them votes and B... bring in money.

If I wanted to move dirt around on my property I would have to shell out $$$ for a grading permit, even if all I wanted to do was build a new driveway.... it gets rediculous.

[smkie]

property, neighbors,and what not... how could anyone afford that many vet bills? I just don't see how that would be possible and that would lead to neglect.

[dogstarsleddogs]

You learn to do alot of the vet work yourself. Shots, HW, and deworming are all things I do. This probably saves us about $400 a year. They do go to the vet for checkups, rabies, and if anything does come up. I also deal with minor things myself, things like small cuts, minor muscle strains, etc. Anything that needs stitches, or are really hurting after a day or so, its vet time! The bill can get high, but food is alot more expensive. (For me anyway)
If you cant afford the vet bill, food bill, then it does become abuse, and that does mean you need to cut down.

[mysilverlining]

I am a mobile groomer, and I groom for one woman who has 12 dogs...4 shih tzus, 4 maltese, and 4 yorkies. When I first got the call I have to admit I was nervous about what I would find. I was pleasantly surprised. The 12 dogs live in a gorgeous house (she's a vice president of a major clothing line and her husband is a lawyer in New York.). She has a person who was hired specifically to spend all day with the dogs. While there she washes all the bedding (they all have their own beds), plays with them , and cleans up after them. I go to the house every 2 weeks. I groom 6 of them and brush out the other 6, the next 2 weeks I groom the other 6 and brush out the other ones. All the dogs are kept up to date on their shots, and are brought to the vet at the smallest concern (oh...they're all females by the way). The couple don't have any kids and they provide great care (one of the yorkies is 18 years old and still has teeth and an attitude, lol!). These dogs have someone with them almost all the time, and they are such a happy group and so well behaved.

It's easy to say that the law says you can only have so many (which, by the way is an arbitrary number that someone in authority decides upon). But if anyone every told me that I had to get rid of one of my dogs without a good reason I would be devestated. So, exactly which dogs should she get rid of. Which one of your dogs would you give up, just because someone who doesn't even know you or your circumstances decides upon