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The Tennessean

Published by the Tennessean Thursday, 12/31/98

HICKMAN COUNTY

Dog breeder faces 195 counts of abuse
By Lynette J. Chua / Tennessean Staff Writer

CENTERVILLE, Tenn. -- A Lyles, Tenn., dog breeder whose operation has been called a "puppy mill" by critics goes to court next month on 195 counts of animal abuse.

The Hickman Humane Society, assisted by the Hickman County Sheriff's Department, raided Patricia Adkisson's facility at 10372 Ed Lyell Road two weeks ago and took away almost 300 dogs, most of them purebreds, according to prosecutors.

Mary Sexton of the humane society said her organization started an investigation after receiving an anonymous tip.

Members of the humane society and breed rescue groups found the dogs in poor living conditions, Sexton said.

"They were living in their own feces and urine," Sexton said. "They have never really been out of their cages."

Adkisson breeds dogs such as golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers and Yorkies to sell the puppies, Sexton said.

"None of the animals were malnourished. Ms. Adkisson was probably keeping more puppies than she should have," said Adkisson's attorney, Douglas Bates.

Puppy mills are dog farms that breed puppies in huge quantities for profit. Many mills have poor breeding conditions, and many of their animals end up in pet stores, breed dog rescuers said.

Many of the dogs at Adkisson's facility had skin diseases and were malnourished, Sexton said.

The humane society has placed more than 200 of the dogs with foster families until they can be permanently adopted after the court case, while the others are in medical care, Sexton said.

Breed dog rescue groups such as the Tennessee Valley Golden Retriever Rescue and the Oak Hollow Labrador Retriever Rescue and Adoption of Tennessee Inc. helped the humane society take the animals.

April Lamar from the Labrador retriever rescue group said many of the dogs still need to learn to trust humans.

"A lot of people who took the animals learned very quickly these dogs have been abused, traumatized," she said.

"Some people went to get a cute pet but instead get an animal that has never been used to human contact."

Adkisson will appear in court on Jan. 11.