Owner Responds After Iowa City Animal Daycare Shut Down For Animal Cruelty, Other Violations

An Iowa City pet daycare has been cited for numerous animal cruelty violations and has been shut down.

Yesterday, Vanessa Miller of the Gazette reported that Critter Care, an animal daycare service operated out of the home of Deb Danielson at 1104 First Ave. was shut down after Danielson, 52, was charged with several animal care violations. 

Miller wrote:

Misha Goodman, Director of the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center, said police and animal control officers were called to the address after one of the dogs on her property escaped through a hole in the fence and ran onto First Avenue.

Upon arrival, officers found 12 dogs, seven of which were being kept outside without shelter and in unsanitary conditions including excessive feces, according to a criminal complaint. Goodman said the dogs were being held in by a fence with holes, and the yard was mostly dirt.

Reporters from the Gazette and the Associated Press were unable to reach Danielson for comment for their stories.

However, there was a response to the charges posted on Critter Care's Facebook Page indicating that Danielson was devastated by being charged with animal cruelty, and the charges came as a result of what she claimed was a misunderstanding.

Over a week ago, one of my daycare dogs was in the backyard (fenced-in) without water and so I was charged with animal abuse. 

The report doesn't tell the entire story. 

This dog has to be separated from the other dogs because it has the tendency to bite. I had to put this dog outside for a few minutes while I moved the other dogs that were inside. The dog was outside for less than ten minutes. 

I've since told the dog's owner that I can no longer take care of her dog (losing a very special client who I've worked with for years). It killed me.