Breeder: Sandmeier, Debra
Business name: Sutley Kennel
Address: 31559 120th St.
City, State Zip: Java, SD 57452
Year: 2005
USDA License: 46-A-0246
Date of CAPS Investigation: 2005-07-23
Time of CAPS Investigation: 17:26
Breeds: Cocker Spaniels, Maltese, Schnauzers, Shiba Inus, Chihuahuas, Miniature Pinschers, Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers, Boston Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers
On the property at the time of investigation: about 150 dogs (no puppies)
Sutley Kennel consisted of two separate buildings. Each had rows of pens with indoor/outdoor cages connected by doggie-doors. Some of the enclosures were raised above the ground; others contained outdoor pens with dirt floorings and indoor pens with plastic floorings.
The designs of the buildings were similar, and violations in the buildings were identical. The outdoor pens with dirt floorings had several days of fecal accumulation in them (3.11(a)- Cleaning of primary enclosures). The pens themselves, about five per kennel building, were surrounded with chain link and galvanized wire walls, and many of the galvanized wire walls were covered in rust (3.1(c)(1)(i)-Surfaces). The siding below the doggie-doors on the outside of the buildings was torn off in small sections, revealing wooden beams behind it and leaving a gap between the bottoms of the doors and their frames (3.1(a)-Structure; construction).
The inside pens had plastic walls on three sides and wire walls facing the hallways that accessed the pens. The walls and floors of these pens had dirty build-up on their surfaces, and cobwebs covered some of the wire walls (3.1(c)(3)-Surfaces). Some pens had rubber mats on the floorings, and all had plastic self feeders and water bottles attached to the wire walls. There were two to five dogs in each pen, including Shiba Inus, Schnauzers, and Cocker Spaniels. Two of the Schnauzers had matted fur (2.40-Vet Care).
Elevated pens
The smaller cages that were elevated above the ground each housed two to four Maltese, Chihuahuas, Miniature Pinschers, Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, and Boston Terriers. There were about 40 of these smaller indoor/outdoor enclosures. Both the indoor and outdoor cages were made of treated wire.
The outside cages were above the dirt ground. There was several days’ accumulation of feces on the ground below them (3.11(a)-Cleaning of primary enclosures). The indoor cages had plastic sheets about four inches under the flooring to catch feces and debris. These sheets were coated in feces stains, standing urine and water, and hair (3.11(a)-Cleaning of primary enclosures). The sheets had plastic pipes on their edges, presumably to keep debris from spilling over, though the pipes were covered in fecal stains as well (3.1(c)(1)-Surfaces). Feces-stained hair hung from under the cage floorings (3.11(a)-Cleaning of primary enclosures).
The concrete floor of the building was covered in dark fecal stains, as was the plastic siding behind the cages (3.1(c)(1)-Surfaces). Plastic feeders and water bottles attached to the walls of the cages had dirty build-up on their surfaces (3.9(b)-Feeding). More than a day’s worth of food was in each feeder. This extra food indicates the dogs were given several days’ worth of food at once, so that they would be eating progressively older food every day (3.9(a)-Feeding).
Stacked cages
There were two stacks of two cages inside one of the kennels. Each cage was about 1.5 feet wide, 1.5 feet long, and 1.5 feet high. Both of the cages of one stack were made of untreated, thin-gauge wire that was rusting near the bottom of its walls (3.6(a)(2)(xii)-Primary enclosures); (3.1(c)(1)(i)-Surfaces).
The top cage housed two Chihuahuas about ten inches long from the tips of their noses to the bases of their tails (3.6(c)(1)(i)-Space). There was a plastic tray at the bottom of the cage with fresh newspaper placed in it. One of the cage walls had a plastic water bottle and metal self feeder. A plastic bin filled with newspapers was placed on top of the cage (3.1(b)-Condition and site).
The empty bottom cage of the second stack was made with treated wire. There was rust in many places where the wire coating was worn off (3.1(c)(1)(i)-Surfaces) and dirty build-up on the surfaces of its water bottle and metal self feeder (3.1(c)(1)-Surfaces).
The top cage housed a Miniature Pinscher and Chihuahua. The dogs were each about ten inches long from the tips of their noses to the bases of their tails (3.6(c)(1)(i)-Space). This cage was made entirely out of untreated, thin-gauge wire that was rusting near the bottom of its walls (3.6(a)(2)(xii)-Primary enclosures); (3.1(c)(1)(i)-Surfaces). There was a small rubber mat in the cage and fresh newspaper on a metal sheet under the wire floor. The cage had a plastic water bottle attached to it. There was a rusting metal self-feeder placed so that it angled back away from the cage. This set-up made the food fall to the elbow of the feeder. It was, therefore, very difficult for the dogs to eat (3.9(b)-Feeding).
The floors of the kennels were covered in a dark build-up. The stains running from under the indoor cages suggested this grime is mostly the result of feces from within the kennel (3.1(c)(1)-Surfaces). Medical and cleaning supplies were stored in open plastic bins in the kennel itself, and the surfaces of the kennels were covered in dust and cobwebs (3.1(b)-Condition and site); (3.1(c)(1)-Surfaces).
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