By MINDY TATE / Review Appeal Executive Editor

State and local investigators are using every medium possible — including the Internet — to gather information into Jennifer Siliski’s background and her dog breeding business.

On Tuesday, District Attorney General Investigator John Brown posted a message on a discussion forum at http://www.malteseonly.com/ regarding his investigation into Siliski’s operation of Holly Belle’s Kennels.

Authorities raided Siliski’s two-story, split-level home at 2235 Bowman Road in Oakwood Estate about 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 22. They confiscated some 230 animals, most in cages stacked atop each other. Many of the animals were in ill health and at least one of the Maltese dogs has since died.

“I’m looking for anyone that has purchased an animal from Siliski that has had documented severe injuries, illnesses or death,” Brown wrote. “To reaffirm I am a criminal investigator (law enforcement) with the District Attorney’s Office in Franklin, Tenn.

“I’m not a private investigator and this is not a civil case, but a criminal investigation,” Brown continued. “In fact I executed the search warrant upon Siliski’s residence.”

Those with “written documented cases that have resulted in severe injury, illness, or death, and [who] are willing to testify against Siliski in a criminal court of law” are asked by Brown to contact Williamson County Animal Control Officer Vinissa Bailey at vinissab@williamson-tn.org.

On the discussion forum at www.malteseonly.com, seven pages of postings purport to detail people’s dealings with Siliski, some of whom knew her as “Melissa Redler.”

Jay Bianco, who has run the www.malteseonly.com Web site for seven years, said the outpouring regarding Siliski’s case has been dramatic.

“This is a very large posting for us,” he said. “We have had a message board up for seven years now and I don’t remember when we got over 100 replies on one topic before. We have people coming on that aren’t even Maltese people.”

Having met her only one time at a dog show, Bianco said Siliski’s name was familiar because it frequently appeared in complaints posted on his Web site.

“Being I had Web site up since 1995, I have gotten over 100 e-mails from people who have bought puppies from her that were complaining,” said Bianco, who claimed no vendetta against Siliski. “It was one thing after another.

“Just from the e-mails I got through the years about the quality of her pups ... I would just steer people away from her,” he said.

One person who had posted on the Web site was Christopher Vicari, who owns Chrisman Maltese in West Orange, N.J. He also met Siliski once at a dog show and while he stopped short of saying he wouldn’t recommend Siliski to potential Maltese owners, Vicari set some standards for Maltese breeders.

“A normal amount of dogs (to accumulate over 10 to 15 years as a breeder) is 20 or 30,” said Vicari, who felt Siliski became “overwhelmed.”

“Realistic breeders have five or 10 litters per year” with one to four puppies being the average in a litter, Vicari said.

“Maltese should not be caged all day. There should not be two and three dogs in a crate. When they play together is one thing, but when the day is over, they should be put up separately. They are true lap dogs.”

The only reason for breeding animals is “to improve the line,” Vicari said.

“Maltese require love, play, sunshine and fresh air,” he said.


Executive Editor Mindy Tate can be contacted at mindy@reviewappeal.com.