10 pets killed, 54 dogs rescued from 'puppy mill' fire

CLARKSVILLE — Ten pets died and 54 dogs were rescued in a fire at a Clarksville home that Montgomery County Animal Control authorities called a "puppy mill."

Clarksville Fire Rescue was called to the home on East Bel Air Boulevard at about 7:45 p.m. Saturday, said Deputy Fire Chief Ray Williams.

While extinguishing the blaze took little time, firefighters from three stations helped save the dozens of dogs and two geckos.

"The fire was not that big of a hassle, but the after affect of trying to collect the pets was," Williams said. "We are sad about how many pets lost their lives."

Montgomery County Animal Control Director Jeanette Farrell said two grown dogs, two puppies and six birds died in the fire, along with countless fish.

Five dogs, including two pregnant ones, were being treated for smoke inhalation Sunday and the rest were taken into "protective custody," while Animal Control investigates.

"They were kept in deplorable conditions," Farrell said. "The whole home was in disarray. There were feces everywhere, some were kept in crates that were too small and some had green water."

But tenant Heather Pascal said Animal Control was basing that opinion on photos taken after firefighters had had gone through the home, spraying water and knocking over items as they put out the blaze. She said many of the dogs were personal pets and others were puppies she bred and was keeping for owners who planned to give them as Christmas gifts.

She said all were well cared for, had room to run around inside the home and in runs out back and all were loved.

"They are my babies," she said. "They are my fur children."

She said Animal Control was spreading unfair "slander."

"I have nothing to hide," Pascal said.

Her father, R. Pascal, said his daughter took care of the pets as best as she could, but had been sick for more than a month, making it challenging to cope with so many dogs. He also said that the conditions firefighters found, like green water takes only a day to develop and someone was on the way to the house to clean out the cages before the fire started.

Heather Pascal said she is working with Animal Control to re-home some of the dogs and will do what she needs to do to get her animals back.She also offered to take food and blankets to the shelter.

The Montgomery County Animal Shelter is normally closed on Sunday, but because of the strain of having so many extra animals, the agency put out a call for help from volunteers to care for animals already at the shelter as workers processed each of the dogs from the fire.

Animal Control Officer J. Gustwiller said the community was coming together to help.

"There were a lot of people on the scene (of the fire) with the same goal," Saturday night, she said. "Neighbors helped corral dogs and keep them safe and contained until we arrived."

Animal Control was on the scene with four vehicles and additional staff was called in to the shelter to check the animals in as they arrived.

"It was a long night for a lot of us," Farrell said.

She said many of the dogs were covered in fleas and had skin allergies. Others had "underlying health problems," but were bred for profit, Farrell said.

"It is fair to call it a puppy mill," she said. "There were over 50 dogs."

She said Animal Control was not aware of the situation before the fire.

"This is a prime example of why our proposed legislation is so important," she said, referring to regulations Animal Control is drafting that would have to be approved by Montgomery County Commission and would track breeders. "We need to regulate backyard breeders so we don't have situations like this. I know there are countless homes like this out in our community."

Heather Pascal said she was not running a puppy mill. She took offense at the suggestion from Animal Control that she was breeding old dogs, saying they were pets or dogs she was trying to find homes for.

As of Sunday afternoon, no charges had been filed but the case remains under investigation.

The fire was ruled accidental and electrical in nature, Williams said. Fire damage was limited to one bedroom and a hallway but there was smoke damage throughout.