Havanese people, stop making excuses for this breeder/exhibitor/judge. Dog breeder receives charges November 26, 2014 By STEPHEN HUBA - For The Weirton Daily Times , Weirton Daily Times Save | Post a comment | NEW CUMBERLAND - A nationally known breeder of Havanese dogs has turned herself in on charges that she neglected them and failed to provide them with proper sustenance and medical care. Elizabeth (Vargo) Tustin, 66, of 220 Fair Oaks Drive in southern Hancock County, was released on a $5,000 recognizance bond after turning herself in over the weekend on an arrest warrant charging her with cruelty to animals. A criminal complaint filed against Tustin in Hancock County Magistrate Court contains 152 misdemeanor counts - 75 counts of failure to provide proper medical care and 77 counts of failure to provide proper sustenance, including food or water. Tustin is a Havanese breeder, exhibitor and judge who operates Destiny Havanese, a kennel that got the attention of Hancock County authorities last week. A sheriffs detective and the countys senior humane officer visited Tustins facility to enforce compliance with a new law regulating commercial dog breeding operations. While there, according to the complaint, Detective Matt Harvey observed severe hair matting and lack of available food for an estimated 70 dogs. Officials followed up with a search warrant and then an arrest warrant. While executing the search warrant on Nov. 19, deputies seized 82 dogs, including one that had to be euthanized, ranging in age from 4 days old to 13 years old. Four dogs also were found dead. The dogs have been placed at the Hancock County Animal Shelter and in foster care in Hancock County and in the Wheeling area, where they are receiving veterinary care and awaiting eventual adoption. Tustin is known nationally among Havanese owners and breeders as one of the earliest and most successful breeders of Havanese in the United States. The small breed is known as the national dog of Cuba. But, according to the complaint, officers found poor conditions at Destiny Havanese, including feces throughout the kennel area, overcrowding in areas which encouraged trampling, hair matting that required complete shaving of the animals, hair matting that impeded walking and movement, and hair matting that prevented successful eating. Officers also observed discoloration of animals coats by such filth that once the dog was shaved, it was a different color, the complaint said. In some cases, the dogs did not have adequate access to food or to medical care, the complaint said. In addition to the Havanese, the charges involving proper sustenance pertain to a German pinscher and a Labrador retriever. Vargo Tustin is next scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Dec. 9. Her case has been assigned to Magistrate Michael White. She also is under order by Hancock County Circuit Court not to change any documents or American Kennel Club registration papers relating to the dogs ownership. The order prohibits the AKC from accepting and following through on any request for change of identification of any dog by name or otherwise or change of ownership of any Havanese sold by Tustin while the criminal case is pending. - See more at: weirtondailytimes/page/content.detail/id/628612/Dog-breeder-receives-charges.html#sthash.vgg3Pb21.7P2obu6r.dpuf
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 21:55:18 +0000
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