Rampaging Chimpanzee Killed, Dead Puppies and Disappearing Puppy Mill - all on the same property!

The Sheriff's Department had responded to a call Monday night on a request to help capture an angry chimp running loose on a highway outside Winston in northwest Missouri. When officers arrived, the 9-year-old chimp opened the patrol car door and grabbed the leg of a deputy, who fatally shot it, Chief Deputy Todd Watson said.

When Watson went to talk to the owners, he smelled a strong odor and heard barking from an estimated 100-200 small breed dogs.  The owners said they also had three other primates.

Watson returned with a search warrant the next day but only found 13 dogs and 2 cats, who appeared to be neglected and abused.  He also found nine dead puppies in the yard.  He did not find the dogs he smelled and heard the day before. 

Brent Hudson, 49; his wife, Cherace Hudson, 41; and their friend Mary Overton, 52, were jailed on $5,000 bond. They did not have attorneys, Watson said.

The three other primates have been recovered. The Humane Society of Missouri is offering a reward for information on the dogs that were seen Monday but gone from the property by the time officials returned Tuesday.

State Agriculture Department spokeswoman Misti Preston said the breeder never had a state license. The home was in a remote location, with no neighbors nearby.

Missouri Agriculture Director Jon Hagler, who has said he wants to put bad breeders out of business, said in a statement that such operators put the health and welfare of animals at risk and place legitimate pet breeders at a competitive disadvantage.

Source:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ 

*Update-April 3*


91 of the approximately 200 dogs have been found and custody has been transferred to the Humane Society.  


The Humane Society said that the breeds of the dogs include Yorkshire Terrier, Pekingese, Chihuahua, Maltese, Miniature Pinscher and Miniature Poodle.

Associate circuit court arraignments for the three people charged in the case - Daniel Hudson, 49; Cherace E. Hudson, 41; and Mary C. Overton, 52, all of Winston - will be Monday. All three are being held in the Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail in Pattonsburg, with $5,000 bonds.



The three people involved were charged at that point with numerous counts of animal neglect and abuse, and with owning exotic animals without a license. After the discovery of the dogs on Thursday, improper disposal of dead animals charges were also added against the three accused.


Source:
http://www.citizen-observer.com/articles/2009/04/03/news/news15.txt