By CAROLE ROBINSON / Review Appeal Staff Reporter

Cathy Smotherman holds one dog while the others await their turn. Staff at the WCAC facility have worked 329 hours of overtime to feed, groom and medically treat more than 200 dogs removed from a Franklin home Jan. 22. (Jim Rodriguez / Staff)

Care of 230 confiscated animals since Jan. 22 has overwhelmed Williamson County Animal Control (WCAC) employees, who have worked more than 329 hours of overtime and thus far cost the county $45,050.

Part-time worker Mary Foshee, who also is a veterinarian, has worked 147 hours of overtime herself, officials said.

County Mayor Rogers Anderson told the county commission’s Budget Committee on Monday night that county attorneys were researching whether any of the costs of caring for the animals can be recouped.

“The bottom line is if we can, we will,” Anderson said.

Payment of the $45,050 must be approved by the county commission at its Feb. 9 meeting.

The animals, mostly Maltese dogs, were confiscated from the “puppy mill” home of dog breeder Jennifer Siliski, who has not yet been charged with a crime. Prosecutors say evidence found in Siliski’s home at 2235 Bowman Road could be presented to the March term of the county grand jury.

Thus far, the animal control department has spent an extra $15,000 to pay temporary personnel, $10,000 each for part-time workers and overtime costs, $2,500 for veterinary services, $6,350 for other supplies and materials, and $1,200 for capital outlay items at the shelter.

Animal control director Tony Fortner told the Budget Committee that ultrasound tests on 30 of the confiscated dogs show they are pregnant and that the shelter will have expectant animals for at least two months and, possibly, the next four to five months.

All the animals are in bad health, he said.

“Every dog we picked up had something wrong with it.”

Meanwhile, county officials have been flabbergasted by the reaction of the general public to the plight of the department’s workers.

“The response has been overwhelming,” assistant director Debby Leddy said. “It’s been wonderful. People have been so kind — and not only Maltese people.”

More than $6,000 in donations along with food, blankets, toys, treats, medical supplies and in-kind services have been received.

“Three kids came by and donated their allowance,” Leddy said.

Michigan breeder Barbara Bergquist set up a fund in the name of well-known Maltese breeder Bobbie Linden, who died last week from ovarian cancer.

“Wanting to do something for those little souls and grieving over the loss of our friend, I decided to take up a collection,” she wrote in an e-mail to the Williamson County Review Appeal. “Our mission is to see that every little ‘kid’ has its own blankie and a toy to call its own.”

So far, Bergquist has sent 190 blankets, seven heating pads, 75 toys and other assorted items. Clean towels, blankets and linens have also been provided by American Airlines, Williamson Medical Center, Cool Springs Marriott at Franklin and Hilton Suites Hotel.

The Home Depot on Royal Oaks Boulevard donated a dryer, plastic sawhorses and shelving for the shelter’s treatment room and the Marriott and Fashion Cleaners are helping with the massive daily job of washing the soiled linens.

WMC and TLC Medical sent medical supplies, including a glucose monitoring system. An electronic record keeper needed to track each animal’s health was donated by Best Buy and a large cage arrived from Wisconsin’s Fosters and Smith.

The Williamson County’s Sheriff Department donated food and offers are pouring in from people willing to foster or adopt the animals once they are available. A donation of Valentine’s candy came in from Houston for WCAC employees and lunch was provided for the volunteers by a benefactor.

“The volunteers have been wonderful,” Leddy said.

To date, WCAC has lost three newborn puppies — one had to be euthanized by injection early this week because it was born with a genetic defect.

“It broke our hearts to do it, but it would never have been able to live,” Foshee said. “The genetic defect would not allow it to live.”

Foshee takes the more serious animals home with her for extra treatments.

“She takes home the ones who haven’t made it over the hump,” Leddy said.

Leddy said many of the female dogs also showed signs of numerous prior C-sections. For now, all of the seized animals will continue to be housed there, isolated from the other shelter animals, to allow Foshee easier access to them. Their fate will be determined once they are healthy and a judge determines what should be done with them.

Meanwhile, Leddy said animal control’s regular business still goes on with more than 30 animals available for adoption and a “myriad of strays waiting to be claimed.”


(Staff Reporter Carole Robinson can be contacted at carole@reviewappeal.com.)