VIDEO: "Ambush" Inspection, Barrett Says

Mary Barrett, director and founder of Limbo Chihuahuas-Chihuahua Rescue, says her inspection by Pinellas County Animal Services in August was an "ambush."

On Thursday, Sept. 27, Gulfport resident Mary Barrett was ordered to pay a fine and remove foster dogs from her home on 54th St. S. The order was handed down when Special Master James Thaler ruled Barrett violated a city ordinance for operating a kennel for her nonprofit animal rescue organization in a residential zoning district.

Since then, Barrett's attorney, Diane Griffith, which stops all fines and the order to remove dogs until the Circuit Court reviews the case.

Inspection Video Public Record

According to Code Enforcement Officer Bruce Earling, the video and photos submitted by animal services are public record. The video and photos were not shown during the hearing; but were reviewed by Thaler. Since then, Gulfport Patch obtained the video and attached it to this article.

"Ambush" Inspection, Barrett Says

Barrett says Animal Control Officer James Anderson dropped by her home unexpectedly for a routine inspection. She says Pinellas County Animal Control left a note on her door on a Thursday. According to Barrett, she called on the following day to schedule the inspection. She set it for Saturday. Barrett says no one showed up on the scheduled day and two days later she received a phone call from Anderson.

Barrett says he called her around 7:30 a.m. asked if someone missed the scheduled appointment and then asked if he could stop by then because he was in the area.

“I am really curious to see if this officer asked to come to my house instead of the other officer,” Barrett said.

Barrett says Anderson and another Animal Control Officer came at the most vulnerable time, early in the morning, before she could even let some of the animals out of their crates and clean-up doggie pads for those in training.

"Am I a bad housekeeper, you bet you I am, but . . . this was an ambush" Barrett said.

Video Not Played During Hearing, County Citations Dropped

During the hearing Thaler asked both parties if he could play a video recorded by Anderson from the August visit. Barrett's 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.

She also stated that the visit was conducted illegally and the photos and video were recorded illegally. Griffith explained that the reason for the visit was to inspect Barrett's home because she was listed as a pet dealer. Barrett obtained the permit a year ago, before she became a registered non profit in state of Florida. Griffith explained that since Barrett was registered as a non profit, county officials had no right to enter her home.

During the hearing 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 only 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.

Editor's Note: Two documents are attached to this article:

• Emergency Motion for Stay Pending Appeal
• Special Magistrate Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Order

Related Articles:

• Code Violation Forces Rescue to Move Dogs
• Gulfport Rescue Saves Dogs From High Kill Shelters
• Animal Services Concerned for Dogs in Barrett's Care
• Gulfport Rescue Appeals Special Master's Order