On April 7th and April 8th, 2008, Detectives of the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division visited several dog breeding operations in Sumner County based on complaints received concerning the treatment of animals.

During the investigation, a search warrant was executed on Dutch Creek Kennels located at 1221 Charles Brown Road in Westmoreland, Sumner County, Tennessee and 44 mastiff and small mixed breed dogs were seized.

Brittany Bergez is the owner/operator of Dutch Creek Kennels. Charges have not been filed against Bergez at this time but the case is being reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office.

Members of the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Animal Abuse Expert Chandra Davis, Volunteer Equine Advocates, Sumner County Emergency Management Agency, Safe Place for Animals and the Sumner County Humane Society assisted in the investigation and recovery of the animals. Pet Smart of Mt. Juliet also assisted by donating food and other items for the seized animals.

Chief of Detectives Don Linzy is in charge of the investigation and will be coordinating efforts for the care of the animals.

Update 4/9/08:  Some very big dogs were found in poor conditions in a Sumner County barn, authorities said.

  (Photo courtesy of WSMV) 

Some of the dogs were mastiffs, which are large dogs, and Sumner County sheriff's deputies said they were locked in their pens full of feces with only a half-full bottle of water for the three dogs in the pen to drink.

The dogs were taken from a barn north of Westmoreland. Michael Cummins said he used to work there until about a month ago. He said the dogs appeared to be well-fed even though he was concerned when two dogs slipped out and tried to bite him.  "They came out of that pen right there and bit on my pants' leg and stuff," he said.  Cummins said he suspected that the owner might have been fighting the dogs in one pen in the barn.

Detectives said they expect to charge Bergez with animal cruelty and neglect. Some of the dogs are scarred or have matted eyes, and one has a broken leg.

The animals are being housed in a pen for police dogs until the sheriffs department can move them to more spacious quarters.

They're being cared for by volunteers, and detectives said they hope that at some future court hearing, a judge will rule that the dogs should be put up for adoption.

Nineteen of the 44 dogs are mastiffs and the deputies said their puppies can sell for as much as $800 each.

The sheriff's investigators said they were initially checking out complaints about another nearby breeder and found no problems there, but then noticed the barn full of dogs and got a search warrant.

Update 5/12/08:  The 44 dogs seized from Brittany Bergez have been forfeited to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office and will be available for adoption

The dogs consist of the following breeds available for adoption:  English & Bull Mastiff and Mastiff mix, Havanese, Pug-a-Poo, Poodle, Beagle/Beagle mix, Brussels Griffon, Lhasa Apso/Lhasa mix, King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, Spaniel mix.

Update 5/14/08:  Bergez pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty. More than 40 dogs were seized from her kennel, which investigators call a puppy mill. Bergez will serve two weekends in jail be on probation for two years and pay an animal welfare group one thousand dollars.

During her probation she can only keep two horses and two house pets.

Reference:

WZTV

WSMV

Sumner County Sheriff's Office