March 24, 2004

61 spaniels found in abominable conditions
Owners charged with neglect

By Nathan Hegedus
Times Herald-Record

Wawayanda – The 61 spaniels raced out of four sheds, their hair matted with feces and dirt. Their tails wagged, but the smell of urine staggered onlookers.

"It's just, just, just too much," said veterinarian Dan Sickmiller, looking at the swarm of dogs from one shed.

The dogs' owners, Jack and Frances Stoltz, were charged with 61 misdemeanor counts of neglect yesterday. Authorities took away nine dogs immediately for emergency cleaning.

At 6 a.m., in frigid temperatures, about 15 cars drove down a long dirt driveway on Stoltz Way in an isolated corner of the Town of Wawayanda. There were sheriff's deputies, five animal control officers and town employees, among others.

They found the four sheds set off from a well-kept home. The Stoltzes cooperated, calling to each dog by name. Jack Stoltz even tried to explain.

"We moved up here because we couldn't control the situation where we were," he said.

He said the couple had lived in the house for seven years, moving from the New York City area.

Later, he said the couple got one dog. Then they bought her a mate. Then there was a litter.

"Unfortunately, we didn't get rid of them fast enough, and it just went on," Stoltz said.

Now the females and males live in separate quarters. They do not breed them and do not sell their dogs, Stoltz said. They have no one to help them care for their massive pack.

"It's a little strange, I know," he said. "I take responsibility for the situation. … We've gone through a very bad winter. We can't clean every day. As soon as the weather changes, we'll be able to clean up."

The heated sheds lacked ventilation, creating a noxious steam bath inside. There was no sawdust on the ground to absorb urine.

Sheriff's Deputy David Ayers said the hair on some was so matted they couldn't even walk.

"This is absolutely horrible, unacceptable," he said to the Stoltzes.

Ayers was tipped off by a local vet, who had treated some of the Stoltzes' dogs. Ayers visited the dogs last week, but "it was too much for me to handle."

So he went to the district attorney for a warrant and organized the raid.

Ayers was recently made a full-time animal cruelty investigator, which should help in a rapidly growing county lacking resources to deal with animal cruelty.

"In this county, we felt we needed it to help out the local municipalities," Sheriff Carl DuBois said. "You hear about the marine unit, the bike patrols, but this is equally important."

The number of dogs did not violate local rules. Stoltz said a Wawayanda building inspector had told him that he "could have as many damn animals as you want" on his 22 acres.

Some towns do limit the number of animals that people can own, and Ayers said he hoped more towns would set limits.

For now, authorities allowed the Stoltzes to keep the other 52 dogs at their residence.

The Stoltzes professed love for their dogs. Frances Stoltz said the dogs are shaved each summer. She said they spent $15,000 on vet bills last year.

"I love them," she said. "I call, and they come to me."

But the situation was more serious than the Stoltzes seemed to recognize.

They pleaded with the deputies not to take their dogs. They promised to clean up their sheds. They promised to "rectify" the situation.

"It's too little, too late," Sickmiller said.