Here’s what happened to 149 dogs seized from alleged puppy mill in Modesto
A Stanislaus Superior Court Judge has given ownership of more than 100 dogs seized from an alleged puppy mill last month to the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency.
The decision followed several days of testimony from a veterinarian, animal services officials and law enforcement that was prompted by a petition by the District Attorney’s Office to take the dogs from the owner, who is facing criminal charges.
The dogs — French bulldogs, Dobermans and other breeds — were found living in deplorable conditions inside two duplexes in the 500 block of Roselawn Avenue in west Modesto.
Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputies found 151 dogs while serving a search warrant there May 19 related to a domestic violence case. One was dead and one had to be euthanized at the scene due to illness.
Nicholas Baugh, 38, was arrested and charged with domestic violence, as well as 15 felony counts of cruelty to an animal — two of the counts include the enhancement of using a knife — and a misdemeanor of keeping an animal without proper care related to 134 of the dogs.
Baugh refused to relinquish ownership of the dogs to Animal Services, so Deputy District Attorney Tracy Griffin petitioned Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Carrie M. Stephens for the hearing, which she said would be faster than waiting for an administrative hearing.
Deputies with the Sheriff’s Department’s Special Investigations Unit “found 56 dogs in small, inadequate cages, standing in their own feces, and without water and food,” according to Griffin’s petition. The petition states deputies found the other dogs living in similar conditions in the duplex’s other unit.
During the hearing, an animal services officer testified that there were bins with six to eight puppies each inside.
The dogs were treated and continue to receive treatment for parvovirus, giardia and physical injuries, according to Ron Reid, Interim executive director of the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency.
On June 9, Judge Stephens granted Griffin’s petition, and ownership of the dogs was transferred to Animal Services on June 10.
Reid said the agency immediately started placing the dogs with five out-of-state rescues, shipping off the last of them Tuesday.
He said some of the dogs were pregnant and gave birth at the shelter. He didn’t have information about how many of their puppies survived but said 23 died. “Most were parvo related, stillborn, or just not born viable and didn’t make it due to medical issues,” Reid said.
Due to illness, three dogs that were part of the original 149 seized also died after arriving at the shelter.
Reid said working with rescue groups rather than adoption was chosen for the dogs due to their ongoing medical needs. He said the rescues that took the dogs have experience with the breeds, their medical issues and dogs from puppy mills.
Reid said there still are many wonderful dogs at the agency that need good homes. The agency is still over capacity, with about 200 dogs in 188 kennels.
The case against Baugh is ongoing, and he remains in custody. A preliminary hearing on the animal abuse charges, to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial, started this month and will continue in July. A preliminary hearing on the domestic violence case has not yet started.
This story was originally published June 16, 2022 at 6:15 AM.
