A Hempstead Township animal shelter paid an out-of-state animal rescue group to take in long-term rescue dogs, but Investigative Team 12 uncovered worrying details about the shelter’s owners and operators.
Town officials said the decision to allow the shelter to use taxpayer funds to transfer the dogs to various rescue facilities was to give these animals a new “leash” in life. The Hempstead Animal Shelter tried for years to find forever homes for four long-time rescue dogs, Wally, Lenny, Dexter and Tucker, but they were never adopted.
In February, the shelter paid Florida rescue company PawsEver Home Inc. to take in the dogs and give them a better life. Animal rights advocates immediately raised concerns.
“The concern is that rescues are not regulated,” said Diane Madden, an animal activist in Nassau County. “There were some really red flags with this group.”
Animal shelters don’t have to register in New York unless they rehome more than nine pets a year, and because there’s no national law regulating these groups, shelter standards vary from state to state.
Team 12’s investigation found that the Hempstead animal shelter may not have had permission to send the dogs to PawsEver Home.
In August, the town council passed a resolution allowing the shelter to use taxpayer money to send animals and supplies to certain rescue groups. The resolution provided a list of 144 rescue groups to which the shelter is authorized to provide supplies “for the rehabilitation and eventual adoption of animals,” and PawsEver Home was not on that list.
In fact, at the time the list was compiled, the rescue operation didn’t even exist.
PawsEver Home was founded in Florida in December, just three months before the Hempstead Animal Shelter began adopting out dogs.
Asked why the town chose Paws Ever Home, town spokesman Brian Devine said the vetting process included working with the organization and “carefully reviewing recommendations from other rescues, fosters, adopters and veterinarians” who spoke highly of the organization. He also said the rescue’s “owner-operator is a highly regarded trainer.”
Team 12 Investigative Team began investigating PawsEver Home owner Michael Breitsprecher and found 13 animal-related violations against him.
According to Florida court records, animal control officers investigated Breitsprecher for “loading more than 20 dogs into a U-Haul box truck in boxes with no ventilation,” adding that “the dogs were in distress when deputies arrived.”
Another report said a woman “hired him to train her dog, Gizmo, but the dog died in his care.”
Other charges against Breitsprecher include operating an illegal animal boarding facility without a license, violating dangerous dog regulations and obstructing an animal control investigation.
Paws Ever Home Vice President Alex Hernandez Zuleta is also charged with violating animal welfare laws for operating a kennel for dogs and training with Breitsprecher without the necessary permits, according to the indictment, which alleges more than 17 dogs were housed there.
Investigative Team 12 reported these violations to the Hempstead Town Manager’s Office.
“While we appreciate all of the great work they have done to help these dogs and other animals, going forward, the town will reevaluate our professional relationship with PawsEver based on the new information that has come to light over the past few days,” Devine said in a statement.
Director Don Clavin declined to be interviewed on camera.
Animal rights groups said the town’s screening process should have captured whether rescued animals had a problem history.
“There are questions about why dogs are being dumped there and whether they are qualified,” Madden said. “We couldn’t find any answers about whether they have training certifications or what their backgrounds are, other than they have a bad background.”
Team 12 Investigates also learned the Town of Hempstead is considering privatizing its animal shelter. According to the town’s request for proposals, the town is looking for a qualified contractor to assume operation of the shelter and provide care, humane treatment, vaccinations/medical care and veterinary services for the animals housed there.
