Puppy Haulers Cleared
Prosecutors: No evidence of cruelty in fire.

    Cruelty to animals charges will not be brought against the two truckers who were driving a trailer that caught fire and killed 58 puppies in Greenwich.

    Assistant States Attorney Steven Weiss; said yesterday results into the March highway fire yielded no evidence of cruelty prior to the fire.

    “If there were evidence of it, I would bring charges”. Weiss said in an interview at State Superior Court in Stamford.

    The drivers; Edward Royle, 37, of Filly, Neb., and David Cook, 48, of Jonesboro Ark., face one count each of importing a dog into the state without the proper health certificate.

    Their attorney Wayne Keeney of Stamford, said yesterday, the dog that did not have the proper documentation was not part of the original crew of puppies being transported from an Arkansas breeder to be sold in stores on the East coast, but one of the drivers picked it up in New York and were to return it down south.

    The drivers were to appear in court yesterday, but the hearing was postponed so Keeney can find out how much it cost the Connecticut Humane Society, to care for the puppies after the fire. He said he will work with the owners, Nemeha Valley Kennels, a Seneca Kan- based broker, to make restitution to the Humane Society.

    Forty- four puppies were killed in the trailers fire on Interstate 95 in Greenwich in early March after the heater became disconnected from the propane tank, causing an explosion. Fourteen more dogs died in the days following the fire.

    The drivers are due back in court June 8.

    Richard Johnston, president of the Connecticut Humane Society, said he was upset by the decision not to levy cruelty charges.

    “Proper care (of the dogs) was not taken.” He said.

    Keeney said the offer to have the puppies owner pay for the tragedy does not mean the drivers were at fault.

    “We don’t want to see the Connecticut Humane Society be out of pocket for this,” he said.

    Keeney said he may seek accelerated rehabilitation for the drivers, an option that allows charges to be dropped from records for first time offenders.

    “It would be important for me to make the representation in court on behalf of my clients” that restitution was being made, he said. “before I ask for some accommodation like accelerated rehabilitation.”

    In addition to paying to care for the 10 remaining puppies, the Humane Society has covered the costs for treating the puppies incurred by the Veterinary Referral & Emergency Center in Norwalk, Keeney said.

    He said the Society has spent several thousands of dollars to care for the puppies.

    “It is a significant amount”, he said, declining to be more specific. I will be prevailing upon the owners of the company to make restitution to the Connecticut Humane Society”.

    Johnston said the Humane Society spent $17,000 on medical treatment and care for the dogs from the time they were rescued from the fire until they were adopted.

    The drivers were initially charged with 68 counts of cruelty to animals, but those charges were discarded when Weiss said there was not sufficient probable cause to charge the drivers with cruelty.

    The March incident was the second time in a year a large number of puppies has been involved in a accident on the Connecticut highway.

    In August a truck carrying 97 puppies slammed into a highway over pass in Bridgeport. Four of those dogs eventually died.

    The incident led the state legislature to pass a law placing controls on the sale of dogs in Connecticut, but animal activists say the bill will not be enough to guard against the sale of animals from so- called puppy mills, the majority of which are in- humane.

Source: The Associated Press