Facing a felony charge of animal cruelty, Taylor Doar and Cynthia Riggan appeared in court for their first hearing last Tuesday, Oct. 15, after county officials rescued 57 dogs and puppies from their home.
On Oct. 11, the Orange County Animal Services Department and the sheriff's office issued a search warrant on a residence off Alexander Drive belonging to Doar and Riggan after two separate anonymous tips reported concerning conditions for animals at the residence.
“There was an overwhelming stench that permeated the entire home and the surrounding property,” said Bob Marotto, director of Orange County Animal Services. “The animals were found in different circumstances in the home. Some were found in crates that had fecal matter in and underneath them. There were lots of different circumstances, but the conditions they were kept in were overall not good husbandry.”
The sheriff's office and OCAS rescued the animals from the residence and arrested Doar that day. Riggan, Doar’s mother, turned herself in later that day. Doar, 35, and Riggan, 65, had both been issued a kennel permit from the county last year, Marotto said, which is a requirement for a breeding operation in Orange County.
The first court date for someone charged with a felony is intended to make sure the person understands what they're charged with, that they have an attorney and to decide if their bond should be raised or lowered, said Alicia Stemper, director of public information for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
“In this particular case, it appears that one or both of the defendants was breeding the dogs for sale, and it was a puppy mill in many respects,” Marotto said. “Of the 57 animals seized on Oct. 12, 25 were young puppies in litter still, which may indicate that they were going to be sold for economic gain.”
According to a Sunday press release from Orange County, the animals are being housed at Orange County Animal Shelter. The animals are not up for adoption yet because the veterinarian evaluations are ongoing and no decision has been reached regarding if the dogs and puppies will be adopted.
“There are some animals who are underweight, but virtually all animals have a condition of concern, such as fleas, internal parasites, eye conditions and skin conditions,” Marotto said. “One female has mastitis, and one puppy has an umbilical cord that has not been properly tied off.”
The press release said the county shelter caring the 57 new animals is putting pressure on its resources.
