36 seized dogs surrendered after 1 year 9 months
Sheboygan, Wis. – After one year and nine months in the care of the Humane Society of Sheboygan County (HSSC) and the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS), 36 Golden Retrievers and Burnese Mountain Dogs are getting the chance to be officially adopted.
In June of 2017, the 36 dogs were seized from Kinship Companions, a kennel in Sheboygan County, after complaints of animal mistreatment and abuse. The case received national attention after law enforcement shared that dozens of deceased dogs were found decaying in broken freezers on the property.
As the case worked its way through the legal system for more than a year, HSSC cared for 24 of the dogs, and WHS had 12 dogs in their care. Nearly all the dogs have been in various foster homes since 2017. Because the dogs were considered former owner Christy Tuchel’s property throughout the legal process, the humane societies were not the legal owners and could not adopt them out.
“We are beyond thrilled to announce that the former owner, Christy Tuchel, has surrendered all of the dogs over to our care,” said Andrew Viglietti, executive director of HSSC. “We’re so grateful to the community for supporting us along this long road, as well as to WHS for extending their help in caring for 12 of the dogs.”
The majority of the dogs are expected to be adopted by their foster families, who have put endless amounts of love, patience, and work into socializing and training the dogs. Many of the dogs suffered from anxiety and fear, and hadn’t been properly socialized or cared for. A handful of the dogs in the Milwaukee area not being adopted by foster families will be available for general adoption through WHS, likely before the end of the month.
“It’s wonderful to finally have resolution on this case and be able to provide loving homes for these deserving dogs,” said Angela Speed, vice president of communications. “They’ve been through so much and we’re glad we could assist HSSC in caring for them.”
Those interested in adopting should keep an eye on www.wihumane.org, as adoptions at WHS are first-come, first-served, as long as it’s a good fit - with the exception of foster parents, who always get first dibs on the animals they foster.
# # #
About the Wisconsin Humane Society
The Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) was founded in 1879 and is the oldest and largest shelter in Wisconsin, annually serving 40,000 animals and the people who love them. WHS is an independent nonprofit and receives no general government funding and is not part of any national umbrella group. WHS operates shelters in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Brown and Door Counties, as well as a spay/neuter clinic in West Allis. The organization offers adoption services, youth programs, veterinary services, retail stores, wildlife rehabilitation, training classes and more. To learn more, visit www.wihumane.org.
About the Humane Society of Sheboygan County
Since 1964, the Humane Society of Sheboygan County, an independent nonprofit, has been dedicated to its mission: prevent cruelty to animals, relieve suffering among animals, and extend humane education. It is Sheboygan County’s only open admissions shelter and depends on public support for its programming. The Humane Society of Sheboygan County focuses on accessible spay and neuter programs in an effort to beat animal population at its core. Creative adoption efforts and dozens of programs provide support for overlooked animals and work to place homeless animals into loving families. To learn more, visit https://adoptsheboygancounty.org/.
- Thursday, March 14, 2019
- For immediate release
