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The owners of the J'Aime Kennel are accused of cruelty and neglect at an unlicensed facility.

By SETH HARKNESS Staff Writer August 23, 2007

BUXTON — Volunteers treated hundreds of dogs for health problems at a kennel here Wednesday, after what police said was the largest raid ever of an animal breeding facility in Maine.

Police said they had responded to complaints about the J'Aime Kennel over the years but were turned away by the owners every time they asked permission to inspect the facility.

On Tuesday morning, police returned with a search warrant and discovered what they describe as a large-scale puppy mill at 35 Paucek Road, the end of a dead-end drive off Route 22.

The search resulted in the seizure of more than 230 dogs and puppies, several of which were diagnosed with infectious diseases. The owners of the kennel, John and Heidi Frasca, received 14 summonses charging them with operating an unlicensed kennel, as well as three more charging animal cruelty and failure to provide necessary medical treatment to animals.

Upon entering the kennel, Christine Fraser, a veterinarian with the Maine Department of Agriculture's Animal Welfare Division, said she was struck by the sight -- and smell -- of numerous dogs confined to small, dirty living spaces. Some animals were visibly malnourished, she said, and many had missing fur and other signs of disease.

"We were overwhelmed by the numbers," she said. "We just didn't realize exactly what we were walking into."

Police worked with The Animal Welfare Society of Kennebunk, the Animal Refuge League of Westbrook and the Humane Society of the United States to care for the animals after the raid. Forty volunteers and several veterinarians examined the dogs for disease and disinfected the long concrete shed where they were housed.

Because of the number of animals, police said there was no choice but to keep the dogs at the kennel, though Fraser said she hoped to set up a temporary shelter as soon as possible. An armed guard stood outside the kennel, which police said is now considered evidence in the case against the owners.

The Frascas, who live next to the facility, were under a court order not to enter the kennel. No one responded to knocks on the door of their single-story house.

Police said a puppy sold by the kennel before the raid was diagnosed with Giardia, a parasite that can be passed from animals to humans. The purpose of the search was to examine medical records for the animals in the kennel and test them for disease.

Initial tests on Tuesday showed that several dogs and puppies were infected with Sarcoptic mange, which is also transmissible from animals to humans.

J'Aime Kennel is one of multiple names by which the Frascas advertised their business on the Internet. Using seven Web sites, the couple sold a variety of breeds including French bulldogs, German shepherds, Brussels Griffons, mini Australian shepherds, American bulldogs and Pugs.

Many Internet sites contain warnings about the Frascas' kennel. Displeased customers advise against buying animals from the couple.

The Frascas have a history of defying animal welfare regulations, according to state and local officials. Buxton police officer Mike Grovo said the couple repeatedly refused to let police to do an annual inspection of their facility, as required by local ordinance. As a result, the kennel lost its town license about a year ago, he said.

The Frascas were also well known to state regulators, who received many complaints about the kennel in Buxton after licensing it in 2001.

In 2005, officials with Animal Welfare tried to work with the owners to contain a Giardia outbreak by quarantining and disinfecting the kennel, Fraser said.

Animal Welfare continued to receive complaints about the Frascas' kennel, and for the last couple of years, Fraser said, the owners were uncooperative in addressing the problems. Animal Welfare decided not to renew the Frascas' state license in January. The kennel owners appealed, which allowed their license to remain in effect.

In the long term, the fate of the animals...