300 more dogs rescued from Skagit County kennel

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. - Officers rescued 308 more dogs Friday from a filthy, disease-infested Skagit County kennel, bringing the total number of dogs rescued in the region in one week to more than 600.

Friday's dog rescues were from a kennel in the 16000 block of Mountain View Road that was first raided on Thursday.

More than 100 dogs were seized from the kennel in the earlier raid, and the remaining 308 were gathered up Friday. Officers said a handful of the dogs may be suffering from a disease called coccidia.

Coccidia is a treatable intestinal disorder of dogs that suffer from a compromised immune system. It is spread through contact with fecal matter from one dog to another.

Friday's raid was the latest in a series of dog rescues in the area that began Saturday when Snohomish County officials busted a puppy mill in Gold Bar and removed 155 dogs found living in ghastly conditions that shocked even veteran animal control officers.

That raid was followed up by another one Wednesday in the 16000 block of West Big Lake in Mount Vernon, where officers rescued about 70 or 80 more dogs. Many of them were found barely alive, covered in their own waste. Many had matted hair from having been left inside small crates.

Thursday's and Friday's raids focused on the kennel on Mountain View Road, where a total of 443 dogs were found. Many of them were crammed inside crates and cages overflowing with filth, urine and feces.

More than 100 dogs were removed from the kennel in Thursday's raid, and the remaining 308 were removed Friday.

"The words I want to say I could not say on camera. Because it just appalls me so much, I mean, horrendous, appalling," said Teresa Letellier, who helped rescue the dogs.

The Mountain View kennel is owned by Richard and Marjorie Sundberg.

Officers said the dogs found there were mostly small dogs, including chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, poodles and Yorkshire terriers. There was also a room that was housing approximately 20 female dogs that were nursing litters of pups.

Deputies found many dogs that were without food or water available to them. Many dogs were heavily matted and standing in their own feces on wire cages or a cement floor. Seven dogs were found dead and lying in a plastic crate next to four live dogs in their own crates.

Those dogs were all transported to the Skagit County Fairgrounds, where they can be examined and a determination can be made if they need to be treated. After the dogs have been cleaned and examined they will be billeted out to shelters and private residences.

Caring for all 600-plus dogs is putting quite a financial strain on local rescue agencies.

With the cost of veterinary car, medication, grooming and dog food, rescuers estimate it will cost $20 per day to take care of each animal.

"It will break us unless we get help from the public," said Joan Crane, co-founder of S.P.O.T.

Anyone who wants to make an online donation to help pay for the dogs' care may  donate to the  KOMO Problem Solvers Fund.

No arrests have been made yet, but it is anticipated that animal cruelty charges will be forthcoming, said Will Reichardt, chief criminal deputy with the Skagit County Sheriff's Office.

Animal control officers are asking that anyone who has purchased a dog from the Mountain View kennel belonging to Sundbergs to call the Skagit County Sheriff's office as this information may be important to their investigation.

The contact is Animal Control officer JoHannah Deterding, who can be reached at (360) 336-9450 or at johannad@co.skagit.wa.us.