Animal Services Concerned for Dogs in Barrett's Care

While on a routine inspection, Pinellas County Animal Control Officer James Anderson found 27 animals at Mary Barrett's Gulfport home in early August. He says the living conditions were not favorable.

"Clearly there were piles of feces in and among the cages. There were 25 dogs and two cats in a relatively small home with one caregiver," he said.

Barrett is president of Limbo Chihuahuas-Chihuahua Rescue and helps foster and place dogs that have come from high-kill animal shelters. She says the number of animals varies from week to week, as she finds foster homes and forever homes for the dogs.

Barrett told Gulfport Patch that a combination of circumstances forced her to house all those animals at once. She had just received five new fosters, she was in the middle of taking six of her own fosters to the Gulfport Vet for treatment and she was watching three dogs because their foster parent went out of town for a vacation. Barrett says she serves as the liaison for foster dogs needing care.

At that time Anderson told Barrett that she needed help with her animals. “There’s too many animals, there’s not enough ventilation, we need to get some better treatment for the animals,” he stated on Thursday.

Barrett originally registered as a pet dealer with Pinellas County about a year ago. Eventually, she obtained non-profit status for her organization with the state and tried to explain this to Anderson during his visit.

It was this visit that prompted Anderson to contact the City of Gulfport Code Enforcement Officer Bruce Earling about Barrett operating a kennel.

Earling cited Mary Barrett in August for operating a kennel for an animal rescue group in a residential zoning district. Earling called Barrett to conduct an inspection last Wednesday and see if she had come into compliance, but she denied him access to her home.

On Thursday, Sept. 27, Special Master James Thaler found Barrett in violation of City Code 22-4.02, which does not allow businesses in a residential zoning district.

Animal Services Citations Dropped

During the hearing Thaler asked both parties if he could play a video recorded by Anderson from the August visit. Attorney Diane Griffith objected to that, stating that the video and photographs were taken for five citations handed down from the county, not the City of Gulfport.

Griffith said the incident started because Jason Anderson was "on a mission to put her (Barrett) out of business."

"For some reason, he got it in his head that my client was a dog breeder. He decided she was running a puppy mill," Griffith said.

Griffith added that Anderson took the video and photographs of Barrett’s home for citations that have since been dropped. She stated that one issue is still active.

"They're claiming she didn't get all the licenses for the dogs, everything else has been dismissed," she said.

James Anderson told Gulfport Patch that two of the five citations were dismissed as a technicality because Barrett proved her organization obtained non profit status and therefore is exempt from the pet dealer citations, including a citation for unsanitary conditions.

James Anderson has told Gulfport Patch that he does not want to shut down the rescue. "I want it done in a humane manner," he said.

Animal Control Satisfied with Special Master's Order

"I'm very satisfied. I am very happy to know, per the order, she’s required to only have four dogs on the property. I don’t think that’ll solve the problem entirely, but I am glad to know that in the end there will be a limited number of animals on that property," Anderson said.

"The problem with 27 is, in my experience, I’ve seen it turn into 270. We want to make sure that it doesn’t become a situation, in our hearts, this lady loves animals and she thinks she doing what’s best," Pinellas County Animal Services Director Phil Morgan said.

Morgan says he's confident in Anderson's judgment and expertise regarding this case. "He’s definitely dedicated and well educated in animal care and animal laws; he’s got a number of years of experience," Morgan said.

Related Articles:

• Code Violation Forces Rescue to Move Dogs
• Gulfport Rescue Saves Dogs From High Kill Shelters