La Pine breeder: I gave up 53 dogs for their care

(Update: La Pine breeder identified, comments; HSCO official speaks)

A La Pine breeder who agreed to relinquish 53 dogs to authorities told NewsChannel 21 Tuesday that she did so they could be treated and find loving homes.

NewsChannel 21 has identified the breeder as Pam Kyler, 63, owner of Kyler’s Field and Marsh Kennels. She told reporter Pedro Quintana she has been a dog breeder for over six years.

Authorities caring for the dogs said late Monday that some of the dogs some required urgent lifesaving care, while others were generally heathy, and one female dog could not be saved and was humanely euthanized.

Deschutes County sheriff’s Sgt. William Bailey said the woman, who has not been charged with any crime, was allowed to keep her own three dogs because they were pets and “not part of the breeding stock.”

Humane Society of Central Oregon Director of Operations Karen Burns said Tuesday that volunteers and staff have been working around the clock to care for the animals.

“The biggest difference with this case vs. other cases we dealt with is the release of ownership,” Burns said. “The previous cases we had, the owners hadn’t released ownership, so we had to hold on to the dogs for long periods of time while the case is being sorted out. And in this case, the owner cooperated with authorities and released ownership.

“That way, we can get them triage and medically evaluated and up for adoption as quickly as possible, rather than have the courts decide,” she said.

Lynne Ouchida, HSCO’s community outreach manager, said the Bend Veterinary Clinic and LaPaw Animal Hospital have spayed and neutered a few dogs from the case.

She said she hopes the community can provide supplies such as shredded paper, newspaper, canned puppy food and puppy training pads to help care for the dogs.

Here’s information released Monday evening by the sheriff’s office and the Humane Society of Central Oregon, including word that one of the dogs had to be euthanized:

Around 11 a.m. Friday, deputies were dispatched to the 51000 Block of Ash Road in La Pine to perform a welfare check on multiple dogs.

Deputies were permitted to perform a visual inspection of the dogs on the property and observed minimum care standards were not being met, they said. Additionally, one adult female dog and two puppies were located in distress and in need of urgent care.

The adult female dog was taken to a veterinary clinic for treatment, but has since been euthanized. The two puppies located with the adult female dog are being cared for at the Humane Society of Central Oregon, but their prognosis is uncertain.

The owner of the dogs is cooperating with investigators. During the initial stages of the investigation, she released ownership in the 53 dogs to the Humane Society of Central Oregon. Medical assessments have been ongoing throughout the weekend and the health of each dog varies. The breeds of the dogs removed from the property include Labrador retrievers, German shorthaired pointers and dachshunds.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is appreciative of the quick response and incredible partnership with the Humane Society of Central Oregon and the Oregon Humane Society during this investigation. The health and welfare of the dogs is the primary focus right now. It will take time to review the medical assessments from each dog to determine what charges may be filed.

The humane society said medical conditions of the dogs ranged from puppies requiring urgent, life-sustaining care, to generally healthy. The young dogs suffered from dehydration, malnourishment, endoparasitism and other symptoms.

The adults were generally healthy with treatable conditions that included dental disease, endoparasitism and obesity. The Humane Society of Central Oregon will continue to diagnose and treat the dogs.

Karen Burns, the HSCO director of operations, said the “earliest the dogs will become available for adoption is the middle of or late this week.” The dogs will become available as they are medically cleared and have been spayed or neutered. When the dogs become available, they will be listed on HSCO’s website: hsco.org.

Cases that involve a large number of animals can quickly overwhelm the 38 dog kennels at the Bend shelter. To accommodate the dogs appropriately and not overburden HSCO resources, the Humane Society of Central Oregon asked Oregon Humane Society in Portland for assistance. OHS representatives arrived Saturday to take in and transport 22 dogs (18 from the case and 4 others).

The community can help the Humane Society of Central Oregon by donating needed supplies or a tax deductible donations that can be made at http://www.hsco.org/donate.