A Seminole County dog breeder is facing civil and criminal charges after Animal Services, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services launched investigations. The business owner tells WESH the charges won’t stand. “Having those charges was sadly an expectation,” said Nina Nelson, a former employee of Maximilian Schnauzer. Nelson said she didn’t flag anything to animal services while she worked there. “I did not when I was actively there, and I do regret it,” Nelson said.But the owner of the business, which breeds schnauzers and French bulldogs, said the charges she’s facing are thanks to people, including former employees, actively working against her. “This is a plot that’s been cooking and brewing for about, I would say, November December,” the owner, Vera Clark, said. Clark was asked why people would plot against her.”When you’re successful, you have both. You have haters, and you have those that are your followers. It takes one who can instigate with other disgruntled employees an avalanche, and it just keeps on rolling,” Clark said.That avalanche seems to have started two months ago when Seminole County received a complaint. “When we went to the location to do an investigation, we were allowed in by the employees and found some anomalies inside,” said Alan Harris, Seminole County emergency services director. Those anomalies resulted in dozens of citations related to rabies vaccinations and the business’s standards of care certificate. Harris, whose department oversees Seminole County animal services, said they have also launched an investigation with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. “Since then the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office has also charged the individual with four misdemeanor charges related to animal welfare,” Harris said.Clark is now facing four charges of animal cruelty for failure to provide veterinary care.A report from the Sheriff’s Office describes four puppies that died between January and April of this year. For all four it said Clark, “admitted she self-diagnosed the puppy’s condition and did not seek licensed veterinary care”Clark denies the charges against her. “All wrong,” she said. “They’re going to get thrown out. I’m positive.”The report says Clark, “pleaded throughout the investigation that she always calls her veterinarian for advice whenever any of her canines need care and conducts “tele visits”. “I’m talking to my vet, listen, talk to him, I’m talking to my vet on Facetime,” Clark told WESH. However, the report says Clark “was not able to provide any records pertaining to the four puppies that are the subject of this investigation.”Harris said investigations are ongoing and more civil or criminal charges could be coming. As for the current charges against her, Clark says she isn’t afraid. “I’m not scared,” she said. “I’m exhausted. I’m not scared because I did nothing wrong.”
A Seminole County dog breeder is facing civil and criminal charges after Animal Services, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services launched investigations.
The business owner tells WESH the charges won’t stand.
“Having those charges was sadly an expectation,” said Nina Nelson, a former employee of Maximilian Schnauzer.
Nelson said she didn’t flag anything to animal services while she worked there.
“I did not when I was actively there, and I do regret it,” Nelson said.
But the owner of the business, which breeds schnauzers and French bulldogs, said the charges she’s facing are thanks to people, including former employees, actively working against her.
“This is a plot that’s been cooking and brewing for about, I would say, November December,” the owner, Vera Clark, said.
Clark was asked why people would plot against her.
“When you’re successful, you have both. You have haters, and you have those that are your followers. It takes one who can instigate with other disgruntled employees an avalanche, and it just keeps on rolling,” Clark said.
That avalanche seems to have started two months ago when Seminole County received a complaint.
“When we went to the location to do an investigation, we were allowed in by the employees and found some anomalies inside,” said Alan Harris, Seminole County emergency services director.
Those anomalies resulted in dozens of citations related to rabies vaccinations and the business’s standards of care certificate.
Harris, whose department oversees Seminole County animal services, said they have also launched an investigation with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
“Since then the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office has also charged the individual with four misdemeanor charges related to animal welfare,” Harris said.
Clark is now facing four charges of animal cruelty for failure to provide veterinary care.
A report from the Sheriff’s Office describes four puppies that died between January and April of this year.
For all four it said Clark, “admitted she self-diagnosed the puppy’s condition and did not seek licensed veterinary care”
Clark denies the charges against her.
“All wrong,” she said. “They’re going to get thrown out. I’m positive.”
The report says Clark, “pleaded throughout the investigation that she always calls her veterinarian for advice whenever any of her canines need care and conducts “tele visits”.
“I’m talking to my vet, listen, talk to him, I’m talking to my vet on Facetime,” Clark told WESH.
However, the report says Clark “was not able to provide any records pertaining to the four puppies that are the subject of this investigation.”
Harris said investigations are ongoing and more civil or criminal charges could be coming.
As for the current charges against her, Clark says she isn’t afraid.
“I’m not scared,” she said. “I’m exhausted. I’m not scared because I did nothing wrong.”
