Some of the 16 golden retrievers rescued from a filthy Cloverdale home get attention from Colleen Combs at her King's Kastle dog care facility in Cloverdale on Friday
Sixteen golden retrievers liberated last week from a feces, mold and fly-infested Cloverdale home are in need of further rescue as the estimate for their medical care tops $15,000.
The cash-strapped city of Cloverdale is ultimately responsible for the bill after seizing the dogs and arresting their owner, landscaper and would-be breeder Brooke Hunter Brownback, police said.
Brownback signed ownership of the dogs over to the city as she headed to jail to face animal cruelty and child endangerment charges, police said.
But with the city already trimming back, it’s not clear the money is available, said Colleen Combs, who is caring for the dogs at her family-owned King’s Kastle dog care facility.
“The finances right now are unbelievable to get them all spayed, neutered, vaccinated, cleaned up and fed so they can be adopted into homes,” Combs said.
Members of the community have begun stepping forward to help ensure the puppies and mature adults get the care they need. Local businesses also are collecting funds, and folks have been dropping off food donations toward the 40 pounds or so the dogs consume each day, she said.
Combs said her costs for grooming, board, testing, assessment and extra staffing already have hit about $6,000.
“The city is doing the best they can to assist us…but like most cities, there’s no money,” she said.
Community Services Officer Teresa McDonald is unapologetic about removing the retrievers from the West Second Street home, which reeked from the commingled odors of urine, feces, rotting food, mold and a decomposing rat in the living room.
“It wasn’t habitable for the dogs or the homeowner,” she said.
The case unfolded March 25 when McDonald, who doubles as the city’s animal control officer, was called to Brownback’s home by someone who had seen seven of her dogs running loose.
McDonald and a police sergeant discovered the appalling conditions in which Brownback, her 17-year-old son and 16 dogs – three of them pregnant – had been living.
“We found disarray,” McDonald said, admitting to understatement.
The dogs had their run of the house and yard, with an open door in between, McDonald said. Mud, feces, rotting food, dirty dishes and garbage were everywhere, and the dogs themselves were caked in feces, mud and fleas.
Wet clothing and blankets were strewn around the moldy floor, which had buckled and was disintegrating in some places.
Ten dogs were in travel kennels or cages, sometimes two to an enclosure, without food or water, McDonald said. Several were non-responsive or lethargic.
A 4-foot-high pile of garbage and dog feces was contained in a 10-by-10 dog run, while the yard itself was filled with broken furniture and appliances, pooled muddy water, garbage and dog feces. The dogs had broken through their gate to the street, McDonald said.
McDonald had been to the house two years earlier, when Brownback had 18 unlicensed dogs and was arrested for running an unlicensed kennel. She didn’t get inside the house until last week.
“I wad dodging holes in the floor,” she said.
Brownback was arrested for suspected child endangerment and 16 counts of animal cruelty. She is being held at the Sonoma County Jail with bail of $25,000, police said, and has been referred for mental health evaluation.
Her son was taken into protective custody.
The retrievers were taken to Combs’ shelter because the county shelter did not have room, she said.
Photos of each dog and information about donating are available at www.kingskastlellc.com, under Golden Retriever Crisis. Combs advised people interested in adopting them to email her at kings_kastle@comcast.net.
i have a 4 year old goldie that i bought from brooke at 8 weeks old. i am glad to see this heartless animal abuser behind bars at last. my dog suffers artheritis and she has the onset of hip displasia! i could not locate this lady after i bought my dog. if anyone has any info on how to be reimbused the $750, please contact me. 310-382-6589! thank you!
I am very interested in helping – including adoption. Please contact me.
I just lost my dog (Best friend) Dakota March 5th 2010♥ He was also a Golden Retriever? I love him very much and was asked if i was planning on getting another but i said i just can’t right now, then i seen this story on the news and knew right then it was my calling♥ My Dakota would have loved me to do this and i love dogs so much♥ If im accepted to get one of the dog will have the best life just like my Dakota♥ He went to work with me everyday and we would walk 4 miles a day 5 days a week. He was very well known around town. Weve been walking for 10 1/2 years♥ I hope you consider me as a mommy to one♥ Have a nice day and i will be patiently waiting for a response♥
I lost my darling Sweet Golden in November ’09. I Was looking for a new Golden Retriever puppy (I still am looking). We have a place @ the Russian River and was looking through the Democrat Press when I came across the ad for Golden’s. I talked to this woman and was close to buying one of her puppies but decided not to. I would love to talk to someone about rescuing a young puppy~We have to put a stop to these abusive idiots just trying to make a buck. I am for treating these humans poorly, just as they treated these precious animals! My blood is boiling!
It’s a shame that I did not drive up there to see the puppies. I would have seen something wrong and happily turned her in!
By not purchasing a puppy from this party, you helped too. You did not give this breeder money.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of other folks out there who will not do their homework, will fall in love with a cute puppy (part of the sales job) and purchase from a backyard breeder.
I hope this person ROTS in jail,in a small cage without food or water.How can anyone be so mean and call themselves a Human being. I am so glad McDonald rescued these dogs. GOOD FOR YOU! The dogs can’t say Thank you, but I will THANK YOU