From The K-B-L-G News Center...
IN DECEMBER, YELLOWSTONE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES AND OTHERS RAIDED A DOG-BREEDING OPERATION IN BALLANTINE, AND SEIZED 200 DOGS...11 OF WHICH WERE DEAD.
THE SURVIVING DOGS FROM SHADY LANE KENNELS WERE IN BAD SHAPE, STARVING, SICK, AND LIVING IN FILTH. KENNEL OWNER LINDA KAPSA WAS CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY AND FOUR RELATED MISDEMEANOR COUNTS.
KAPSA WAS SCHEDULED TO GO ON TRIAL NEXT WEEK, BUT A JUDGE ON MONDAY GRANTED A DEFENSE REQUEST TO DELAY THE TRIAL TO JULY 13TH. AND THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
THE COUNTY HAS BEEN CARING FOR THE DOGS EVER SINCE THE DECEMBER RAID, WITH 150-TO-170 OF THE NOW 256 DOGS HOUSED AT METRAPARK, AND THE REST AT A VETERINARY CENTER ON MOORE LANE.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT MONTANAFAIR STARTS ON AUGUST EIGHTH, AND THERE WILL BE SOME PRELIMINARY EVENTS THAT WILL REQUIRE THE SPACE WHERE THE DOGS ARE CURRENTLY HOUSED. THAT MEANS THE METRAPARK DOGS WILL HAVE TO BE MOVED.
UNDERSHERIFF JAY BELL SAYS THAT THEY HAD HOPED THE KAPSA CASE WOULD BE RESOLVED SOON, BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN NOW. AND HE SAYS THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
THE UNDERSHERIFF SAYS THAT THE DOGS AT THE MOORE LANE LOCATION SHOULD BE FINE WHERE THEY ARE. AS FOR THE OTHERS, THEY ARE LOOKING INTO ALTERNATIVE VENUES, BUT NOTHING HAS PRESENTED ITSELF AS A VIABLE OPTION.
BELL SAYS THEY NEED A FACILITY THAT'S BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE DOGS THAT ARE AT THE METRA, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE CLOSE TO BILLINGS BECAUSE THE BULK OF THEIR VOLUNTEER HELP IS LOCAL.
ONE POSSIBILITY IS A COUNTY PARK, BUT THAT WOULD MEAN BUILDING SOME SORT OF STRUCTURE TO PROTECT THE ANIMALS. IDEALLY HE SAYS THEY'LL FIND A VACANT BUILDING SOMEWHERE.
HE SAYS THEY HAVE ALSO ASKED KAPSA IF SHE WOULD BE WILLING TO GIVE UP OWNERSHIP OF THE DOGS, SO THEY COULD BE ADOPTED OUT, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
THE UNDERSHERIFF SAYS THAT THEY WOULD WELCOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE DOGS. CALL THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
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