A Kentucky man is facing animal cruelty charges for his part in an animal rescue mission that ended with dog deaths. Ivan J. Truman, 65, of Smiths Grove, KY, was arrested after 10 dogs were found dead in a cargo van Truman had driven into Stratford.

In addition to the dead dogs, 58 needed medical attention after the long ride in the van transporting them from a Kentucky humane society to local animal rescue groups, police said.

The groups were to meet Truman at a shopping center just off the Merritt Parkway at Exit 53.

Police spokesman Capt. Harvey Maxwell said police were called to investigate a report of dogs being kept inside crates in a vehicle at Ryders Landing.

The dogs likely died as a result of a combination of poor conditions including the long trip, the small holding area, inadequate ventilation and the hot weather, Maxwell said.

Truman was charged with 10 counts of animal cruelty and was released after posting $4,500 bond.

The dogs had been slated to be euthanized in Kentucky, Maxwell said. Truman is a volunteer at the Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society.

Truman told police this was his seventh trip to Connecticut with dogs bound for various shelters.  He was supposed to deliver the dogs from the Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society in kentucky to the Oronoque Animal Hospital at the Ryders Landing shopping center, but arrived a few hours early and went to his son's home in Stratford to rest.  He left the dogs in the van with the air conditioning running.  There were 12 crates and 69 dogs.  There were also 3 furious cats in the middle of the van.  The cats were not injured.

The humane society in Bowling Green has shipped more than 300 dogs to Connecticut and thousands more to New York, California and Canada, which greatly reduced the number of dogs being destroyed.

Truman's son, Todd said that his father was devastated by the deaths.  "He is not doing well.  They put him through a lot of stress.  He has a bad heart.  He is a man who has dedicated his life to helping animals.  I do not know how he can even go on."

All of the puppies and dogs in Truman's shipment had adoptive homes lined up through rescue groups that paid $55 for each dog.  The fee barely covers the shelter's overhead, though the rescue groups charge as much as $250 per puppy.

Most of the dogs that arrived in Stratford were headed to Companions for Life, a rescue agency Robin D'Urso runs out of her Eastfield Drive home in Fairfield.  Her website, which advertises prices of $225 per dog and $100 per cat, claims the state last inspected the agency in September.  But in fact, the state was called to D'Urso's home because of several complaints about unlicensed dogs.  When inspectors arrived, D'Urso asked them to return later according to state records.  When they came back 4 hours later, they found that the premises looked fine but the 14 dogs stay ring there were missing rabies certificates and dog licensing information and that 2 of the dogs - beagles imported from Ohio - were missing health certificates that are required by law.  Week's later, the certifications were confirmed, D'Urso was given a warning and the case was closed.

In 1995, the state launched a program to spay and neuter stray cats and dogs at local pounds using licensing surcharges.  Since then, 30,000 pets have been spayed or neutered.  They did such a good job, now these animals are coming in from out of state.

Update 8/14/03:  Two other dogs had to be euthanized. The remaining animals were taken to the Oronoque Animal Hospital for treatment. None of the cats were injured.

"The rest of them appear to be in fairly good shape," said Dr. Sheldon Yessenow, the hospital's owner.

Shortly before 5 p.m. the pets were released to animal rescue groups in Fairfield, Meriden, Danbury and Massachusetts for adoption.

Truman was held in lieu of $4,500 bond. He is scheduled to appear today in Bridgeport Superior Court.

Necropsy are under way to determine how the dogs died. "We don't know what it is yet, but it appears to be a problem with the transportation," said police Capt. Harvey Maxwell.

Robin D'Urso, head of a Fairfield-based rescue group that was among those to receive some of the animals, said the dogs may have had a virus or fallen victim to heat exhaustion or carbon monoxide poisoning. D'Urso said the dogs had health certificates and were checked earlier that morning by the driver.

She also said shipments of animals from southern states, which regularly euthanize unwanted animals, come to this region every two weeks.

Mary Gillick, president of the Stratford Animal Rescue Society, described the incident as "a tragedy."

"What started off as what some people would see as a good thing rescuing these animals turned out badly," she said. "The whole thing could have been avoided if the people involved took care of the animals."

The case reminded animal lovers of two incidents several years ago in which dogs perished as they were being transported in crammed trucks on Interstate 95.

In October 1997, 96 puppies were found in a truck that crashed in Bridgeport. Five of the animals died.

And the following March, 50 dogs died when a trailer carrying them from Nebraska to pet stores in the Boston area burst into flames in Greenwich.

Update 8/15/03:  State and local officials said that animal rescue organizations need to be more tightly regulated in Connecticut to minimize chances of incidents such as the one in Stratford. The state Department of Agriculture had proposed legislation last year to regulate animal rescue organizations, but acting Commissioner Bruce Gresczyk said that they "couldn’t get it out of committee," due to intense opposition from rescue organizations.   However, Gresczyk said, the agency will be reintroducing the legislation this year.  "It’s something that definitely needs to be done. Neighboring states regulate these groups," Gresczyk said.

Current regulations prohibit transport of pups younger than 6 weeks old without their mother.  Additionally, all animals must have proper health certificates and rabies vaccinations to be transported interstate.

While there were no allegations of dogs being transported without their mother, there were 68 dogs inside the hot, windowless cargo van sent to the state by a Kentucky humane shelter.

Judy Rettig, animal control officer for the district that includes Bethany, Orange, Woodbridge and Prospect, said that Connecticut regulations should include mandates on the proper administration of water and food, as well as regular travel stops.  "I think the state of Connecticut would be a good start (for regulating animal transfers between groups)," said Rettig. "There should be procedures set into place."

Gresczyk said that the regulations should allow the Agriculture Department to properly investigate allegations, to ensure that animals are provided medical attention, food, water and facilities.

Currently when a complaint is made, a facility may only be inspected if the operator allows the search, or if the state obtains a search warrant, which can take months.

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