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By Dieter Bradbury
MaineToday Media, Inc. 01/19/2008

MaineToday Media, Inc.

Maine animal welfare officials are working with New Hampshire authorities, following the arrest of a woman in Salem, N.H., on Wednesday with 22 dogs in her car, including three dead animals.

The woman, 32-year-old Amy Moolic of Dracut, Mass., told Salem police she had rescued 12 of the dogs the previous night from a "puppy mill" in Somerville, about 15 miles east of Augusta.

Norma Worley, director of Maine's animal welfare program, said Friday she has offered to help the Salem Police Department and was awaiting information about the case.

"At this point I really don't want to comment on the existence or status of an investigation," she said. "We are aware of an unlicensed kennel in the town of Somerville."

Worley declined to identify the kennel. She said in the past Somerville has had one state-licensed kennel, which did business as Star Fire Star, owned by Fern Clark of Hewett Road. Worley said Clark's kennel was licensed from 1994 to 2005 and inspected annually during that period.

Worley declined to identify the kennel. She said in the past Somerville has had one state-licensed kennel, which did business as Star Fire Star, owned by Fern Clark of Hewett Road. Worley said Clark's kennel was licensed from 1994 to 2005 and inspected annually during that period.

She said Clark told the state she had not renewed the license because she was no longer breeding dogs. Worley declined to comment on the results of state inspections at Clark's kennel while it was licensed.

"That's all part of the investigation," she said.

Clark has an unlisted phone number and could not be reached for comment.

The town of Somerville's animal control officer, Jessie Turner, said Friday that he and a state animal welfare officer tried to inspect Clark's kennel last May. He said Clark refused to allow the state officer onto her property, but that he was permitted to enter the house.

Turner said Clark had 51 dogs, all of them small breeds, inside the house. He said there was a fenced exercise area outside but no separate outbuildings for housing the dogs.

Turner, a logging contractor who also serves as Somerville's road commissioner, said Clark has a record of conflict with state animal welfare officials. "They've mixed words over the years," he said. "She didn't want to comply with what the state had asked her." Despite those problems, Turner said he didn't have any serious concerns with Clark's operation, and he recommended that the Somerville town clerk issue the kennel a local license.

"You can't deny it if they meet the guidelines, and they met the guidelines," he said. The guidelines, Turner said, are based on standards recommended by the state animal welfare office.

The Somerville town clerk, Ernestine Peaslee, said Friday she issued a kennel license to Clark last year. She said Clark signed the license and wrote, "I certify that the dogs in this kennel are kept for pets and some breeding." The license expired on Dec. 31 and must be renewed by Jan. 31, Peaslee said.

Turner said he was unaware of the incident in New Hampshire, and the statement by Moolic, the woman with the dogs in her car, that she had rescued animals from a puppy mill in Somerville.

Moolic could not be reached for comment Friday.

Police arrested Moolic on Wednesday on charges of disorderly conduct and interfering with a police officer, after contending that she became agitated and belligerent while being questioned. She was released after posting $500 bail on the charges, which are misdemeanors.

She has not been charged with animal cruelty, although police have said that is still a possibility.

Officers said the dogs in Moolic's Jeep Cherokee were mostly small breeds -- including Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus and Lhasa apsos -- and were confined in cages with three to five dogs in each.

An officer at the scene told the Lawrence Eagle Tribune that conditions inside the car were terrible. "They were all shaking and scared," he said of the dogs. "They were all in tough condition."

Ten of the 22 dogs belonged to Moolic, who told police she had taken them with her for the drive to Somerville, a 320-mile round trip that would take six hours to complete. It was unclear whether the three dead dogs -- an adult female and two puppies -- belonged to Moolic or were among those she said she picked up in Somerville on Tuesday night.

The arrest took place in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart, where a customer called police after overhearing Moolic and a companion talking about dead dogs in their car while they shopped in the pet medicine aisle.

All of the dogs were taken into protective custody and were being held Friday at the Salem Animal Rescue League. Police said Moolic may be able to reclaim some of the animals.

For Worley, Maine's animal welfare director, the Somerville case marks the second time in five months that the state has become involved with an alleged puppy mill. Last August, 249 dogs were seized at J'Aime Kennel in Buxton after an investigation by state and local officials found that animals were living in unsanitary conditions. The dogs were taken by the state, and animal refuges are still seeking homes for many of them.

Dieter Bradbury is the online reporter for pressherald.com, where this report initially appeared. Bradbury's beat is designed to engage directly with readers and glean story ideas from your suggestions, Web postings and feedback. If you have comments, please post them at pressherald.com or send Bradbury an e-mail at: dbradbury@pressherald.com

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