By MELISSA N. WARREN / Review Appeal Staff Reporter

Carol Croop balances her job as planning coordinator with her new training protocol for one of the Siliski Maltese dogs. County Mayor Rogers Anderson has approved Croop’s house-training protocol. (Melissa Warren / Staff)

Volunteers at the Williamson County Animal Control facility say dog No. 100 should be back in its cage.

“We just don’t want anything to happen to it,” a volunteer said.

The dog, which is just one of the 230 animals that was taken from dog breeder Jennifer Siliski’s home kennel on Jan. 23, has been in WCAC’s care since that raid. The dogs have become state custody and will not be available for adoption until the case has been decided.

Last week, though, Carol Croop, planning coordinator for Williamson County, took the dog from its cage to her home after County Mayor Rogers Anderson granted her request to develop a house-training protocol.

“She just put the dog in her purse and walked out,” said a volunteer. “We’re worried that if anything happens to the dog, it will hurt the criminal case.”

Assistant District Attorney Braden Boucek says the criminal case would not be affected by the dog’s removal. The 30 counts of animal cruelty against Siliski are based on the condition of the animals up until they were removed on Jan. 23. Boucek also pointed out that dog No. 100 is not on the list of indicted dogs.

Croop said she was authorized to take the dog, not to adopt it, but to gather information for her new house-training program.

“I feel terrible about the lack of communication regarding the new protocol,” she said. “In hindsight, I think a better explanation of what I am trying to accomplish would have made people feel a lot more comfortable.”

Croop, a self-proclaimed dog lover and member of the Nashville Dog Club, has been voluntarily helping with the WCAC’s laundry since the dogs arrived at the facility. But she said she wanted to do more, and saw a great opportunity to help with the eventual transition the dogs will make from caged animals to house pets.

“All the volunteers hope these dogs will go to good homes soon,” Croop said. “The worst-case scenario would be if someone adopted a dog and didn’t know what to expect. In six months, the rug might be ruined and this dog could end back up at Animal Control or be back in a cage.”

Because the dogs are accustomed to tolerating unsanitary conditions, none of them are house-trained. Croop approached Dr. Mary Fooshee at the WCAC about this problem, as well as Mayor Anderson, with an idea to develop a program for training the dogs, she said.

“Dr. Mary told me it was fine but then checked with the DA,” Croop said. “The DA said no, but a week later the cruelty charges were filed. Then, the mayor came to me and told me it was fine to take the dog at that point.”

Anderson said he is standing by his decision of granting Croop permission to house-train the dog, and explained he only has WCAC and the dog’s best interests in mind. He also pointed out that Croop filled out all the necessary paperwork and came to him with this proposal.

“Croop is a county employee who is trained in this kind of work,” Anderson said. “If and when the WCAC is charged with the placement of these dogs, it would be most beneficial to provide some type of an adopted family with a protocol manual or training session describing some recommended house-training procedures.”

If people are eventually allowed to adopt the Maltese dogs, the fact that the animals are not house-trained will come as a surprise, he said.

However, some volunteers say house training is at the bottom of the totem pole in terms of importance, and the main problem is “going over Dr. Fooshee’s head.”

WCAC Executive Director Tony Fortner said Fooshee was hired initially as the cat kennel officer, but that the center has relied on her heavily since the influx of Maltese dogs.

“We listen to Dr. Mary on vet issues,” Fortner said. “She certainly knows about the welfare of the dogs better than anyone and has done a great job. But I do think it was good to get an idea of what the dogs will be like in a family-type situation.”

Croop says dog No. 100 is doing well and has progressed to phase three of the training. Due to constant supervision in Croop’s office and home, as well as positive reinforcement, the dog is learning to go to the bathroom on the paper area, she explained.

“Once this dog is trained, I will work with another dog of a different temperament and age,” Croop said. “I want to give an orientation for potential owners that will address the needs of all the dogs.

“I don’t even know if I will adopt this dog or any of the dogs. There has been so much interest, and any training I give the dogs will just be a head start for that dog’s potential new owner.”

Staff Reporter Melissa N. Warren can be contacted at melissa@reviewappeal.com.