Breeder: Kerrie Engelmann
Kennel Name: Pocketbook Pups Yorkshire Terriers
Address: 20117 Melber Ln
City, State, Zip: Manor, TX 78653
USDA License: none
State License: none (though lacking a state license, conditions at the facility that violate Texas licensed breeder regulations noted)
Date and Time of CAPS Investigation: 2/14/23, 1232
Weather at Time of Investigation: 75°F and sunny
Approximate number of dogs and puppies observed at time of investigation: 8
Breeds: French Bulldogs, Chihuahuas
I could tell that dogs were kept in two areas at the north end of the property, but I could only see them in one area and heard them in another. The property had a residence to the south, with a barn and trailer north of it, and small barns and scattered junk near kennel buildings further north. Amongst the small barns were the kennel buildings, with one partially visible from the road and the other partially visible from the road and yard.
Dogs living in filth
The kennel area in which I could see dogs was located at the northeast end of the property. It had indoor/outdoor runs, with the outdoor runs facing each other so the view to the dogs was partially hidden from the road and an eastern neighboring property. A barn south of the outdoor runs also partially blocked the view, but it was spaced a few feet from the runs so that I could see several dogs and their enclosures. I saw three outdoor runs on one side, across from four outdoor runs on another. Each run was about eight feet long and three feet wide, with wooden ramps going up to doggie doors that allowed access to the indoor portions of the enclosures. The ramps were chewed and covered in fecal stains and had feces build-up on wooden lips at their bottoms (91.100(3)(B) Maintenance and replacement of surfaces); (91.100(3)(C) Cleaning). The pens had wire walls and rubber mats and bricks for floorings, which were covered in weeks’ worth of feces. Feces was piled and spread across the floorings so heavily there was no area for dogs to stand without being in manure or fecal stains (91.100(3)(C) Cleaning).
Plastic water buckets with manure-stained exteriors, were attached to the wire walls. I could see water inside two buckets, and one contained dingy brown water while the other’s water was an algae-green (91.108 Watering). Wooden boards partially covered the top of one enclosure, while shredded tarps were set over others. The tarps were so torn that one hung down halfway down the wall of one enclosure and another was touching the wooden ramp that lead to a doggie door. Two French Bulldogs were in each of two pens, two French Bulldogs in each of another two, and two other pens each held a Chihuahua.
The breeder’s website shows pictures of dogs in grassy yards and puppies being held or snuggling on pillows. Under the website’s “why choose us” section, it claims the breeder has Yorkshire Terrier puppies “that we raise in our home.”
Kennel hidden from view
The other kennel area was a metal shed open partially open on the sides. However, the side that faced the road had wooden boards set against the walls, so the dogs couldn’t see out and nobody could see in; the other side faced a wooden shed about ten feet away. There were about half a dozen chain link pens inside, but in the shadow they were under I couldn’t see dogs inside. I did not enter the structure. However, I could hear numerous dogs with high-pitched barks from inside the pens. Within two feet of the pens was a cart piled with what appeared to be white canvas, a wooden board, a wheelbarrow l filled with junk, stacked plastic buckets, and pieces of PVC pipe, Nearby, leaning against an outside wall of the building, was a pallet of bricks, a couple sinks, wooden and metal boards, and other assorted junk (91.100(2) Condition and site).
This breeder sells online through the website https://www.pocketbookpups.net/. It isn’t clear if the breeder is shipping dogs sight unseen to buyers outside the area and would require a USDA license for internet sales.
