Still on the road and traveling in the Detroit area, my wife and I wonder what we can do to help the six dogs removed from Larry Baumgart's 'kennel'. While we are uncertain of what the dogs need, we are glad they are now in the hands of animal control. Earlier in the week, I received a call from Cheryl Postma at the Animal Shelter of Crawford County. She has spoken with Terry MacKillop, and she describes the conditions of the dogs, as how Terry described them to her. She is angry and upset that someone would do such a thing to any animal. Like us, she is glad they were found before they suffered further.

I decide the best thing to do is to contact Roscommon County Animal Control and let them know that we will do whatever we can to help the dogs. Terry MacKillop returns my call in the afternoon. I inquire about the dogs and their conditions, and his answer surprises me. In fact, MacKillop tells me the dogs are "fine," and that they are in "nowhwere near the condition of Thor." I tell him that my wife and I will do whatever is necessary to see to it that the dogs get the medical attention they need, and we're prepared to pay for it, if necessary. MacKillop says it's not necessary, that the dogs aren't in "anywhere near the condition of the dog in Crawford County," and, in fact, the six are being sent to an animal rescue.

I hang up, relieved . . . and puzzled. Fine? I think. How could that be? Earlier in the week, I had been told by Detective Wybraniec that the conditions of the dogs were deplorable. How could they be 'fine' only a few days later? It doesn't make sense.

And how is it that someone with a kennel license can be allowed to treat dogs this way? We know of at least one complaint called in by someone, regarding a 'thin dog' at Baumgart's. What is the criteria for overseeing kennels in the county, if this type of abuse is allowed to occurr?

Another thing that angers me is this: The Crawford County Animal Control Officer should have been *immediately* suspicious of Judith Baumgart's story of her 'finding' the dog in her car port. She could have easily found Baumgart and his remaining dogs within a day of the discovery of the single dog on Stephan Bridge Road. In fact, she refused to follow up on my suspicions when I spoke with her the previous week. Six labradors were starving for two weeks while four private citizens, acting on their own, had to follow very obvious leads and track down where Thor had originally come from. (Had we had the correct spelling of 'Baumgart', I am certain we could have found the dogs even sooner.)

Meanwhile, Thor continues to improve under the constant care of ASCC Director Cheryl Postma and the Grayling Hospital for Animals, but he still faces grave health issues.

Photo of Thor taken 1/27/07:

The real pot of anger begins to boil over when several sources (including Roscommon Detective John Wybraniec) tells me of the 'deal' MacKillop has struck with Larry Baumgart. I am told that Terry MacKillop offers Larry Baumgart this: admit that the dog 'found' at his mother's home (Thor) belongs to him, and Roscommon County won't press animal cruelty charges against him for the six labradors. This is CRAZY! Roscommon County clearly has an open and shut case, and yet MacKillop, acting on his own, decides not to hold him accountable for the six dogs! This allows MacKillop to get the dogs out of his county, quickly and quietly and without attention. I can see where this might be a little embarrassing for an animal control officer, whose office is *supposed* to be overseeing all licensed kennels in the county. What are Roscommon County taxpayers paying for, if this is allowed to happen right beneath the nose of local animal control?

Also: it is now clear to me that Judith Baumgart was not telling the truth about the dog in her car port. If she claims she 'found' the dog in her car port when it had actually been placed there by her son, she has filed a false police report. Last time I checked, filing a false police report anywhere in this state is a crime. To this day, she has not been arrested.

And why would Larry Baumgart abandon a dog at his mother's house?

None of this is making sense, and I cannot figure out why Terry MacKillop changed his story when I offered assistance: First, he tells several people of the disgusting living conditions the dogs were forced to endure. But, he tells me the dogs were 'fine'. Something tells me he wants this whole thing to go away quickly. Out of sight, out of mind. My speculation: Now that the six labs have been sent to a rescue somewhere, now that Baumgart can only face a single charge of animal cruetly-abandonment in Crawford County, it's a lot easier for Roscommon County. They won't have to house the dogs and get them well, they won't have to have a trial, etc. Gee . . . there would be a lot of work to do. In short, the six labradors really don't matter . . . in Roscommon County.

On the MAACO website, I learn more about what they're all about. This caption, in light of MacKillop's actions (and inaction), makes me shake my head:

Where did those six labs go? Why has MacKillop's story changed? Why would he make a deal with someone who should be facing seven counts of animal cruelty? The pieces aren't adding up.

On Sunday, February 4th, the pieces begin to fall into place . . . in a big way.

Home/Welcome Page

LABS & LIES - Chapter 1: A Shot in the Dark

LABS & LIES - Chapter 2: It Doesn't take a Rocket Scientist

LABS & LIES - Chapter 3: And Then There Were Six

LABS & LIES - Chapter 4: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

LABS & LIES - Chapter 5: Rattling Cages & Furious Rages

LABS & LIES - Chapter 6: With Labradors and Justice for All

LABS & LIES - Chapter 7: Black Friday

LABS & LIES - Chapter 8: Puppygate (UPDATED 5/27/07)

LABS & LIES - Chapter 9: GUILTY! (UPDATED 6/22/2007)

LABS & LIES - Chapter 10: Justice . . . Crawford County Style (added 7/11/07)

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