Another Backyard Breeder Bites The Dust
12 January 2009
by Anai Rhoads
AnaiRhoads.org -- A Cloverdale Indiana woman failed to comply with a state subpoena which requested her to submit tax records relating
to her puppymill business.
Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter, the Owen County Sheriff's office and the Indiana
Department of Revenue (IDR) served Tammy Gilchrist with a search warrant requesting business records from as far back as 1998.
Gilchrist was unable to provide the payment of $192,960.28 in taxes which resulted in the takeover of her property located in Owen County at 11231 Highway 231, Cloverdale, Indiana. Gilchrist was also served with a jeopardy levy, enabling the state to seize her bank accounts and her entire inventory of animals.
It took 15 volunteers from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), three veterinarians and local rescue groups to assist with safe removal of the animals from Gilchrist's home.
Over the years, the attorney general's office received numerous complaints about Gilchrist. She often failed to deliver/ship the puppies she posted for sale, she was notorious for misrepresenting the health or age of puppies, failed to deliver registration papers, refund shipping fees, avoided obtaining a kennel license and sold puppies with various viruses without disclosing the poor health of the animals, leading to their deaths shortly after being delivered to their new homes.
Gilchrist operated the under the following business names - AKA Kennel, TEKS Kennel, Puppysrus and Affordable Pups and Kritter Heaven, which
was supposedly a dog rescue. She sold several different breeds on various web sites, newspapers and other
mediums for years. Many of the dogs in her care were emaciated and suffered from obvious medical ailments such
as open sores and other moderate to severe skin conditions.
"This woman has left behind a trail of misery for many consumers over the past several years," said Carter.
"The seizure today effectively puts her out of business."
Members of the Bloomington Animal Care & Control, New Albany/Floyd County Animal Shelter, Humane Society of
Indianapolis, Humane Society of Northwest Indiana, Humane Society Calumet Area, Humane Society of Brown County,
Monroe County Humane Association and Saving Paws Rescue also assisted by taking in animals or removing them from
the property.
"The future of these animals is a lot brighter," said Anne Sterling, the HSUS' Indiana state director. "It is
extremely gratifying to know that we have given these animals the chance to live outside the confines of their
squalid cages."
Once at their temporary homes, every animal will be assessed by a veterinarian, given any
necessary medical attention, evaluated and placed for adoption.
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