Woman relinquishes all but one of 105 dogs

A Doberman, named Bob, will remain impounded by humane agents.

Staff report

SEBRING

A North Benton woman, whose home was raided by humane agents Jan. 17, has agreed to let the agents take ownership of all but one of the 105 dogs they seized from her home.

Terri Wylie, 57, of Johnson Road, did not agree in a Thursday court appearance, however, to relinquish ownership of a Doberman named Bob.

Area Court Judge Diane Vettori ordered that Bob will remain impounded by the agents from Animal Charity of Boardman.

Wylie will have 10 days to have an expert evaluate all the animals, including Bob, and the prosecution may present photos of the animals, rather than the animals themselves, as evidence in Wylie’s trial on charges of unsanitary confinement and lack of veterinary care, the judge ruled.

Wylie has pleaded not guilty to the charges and her trial is set for 9 a.m. March 25 in Sebring Court.

Christopher Flak, a humane agent, said Wylie’s home was “a puppy mill,” where the animals were kept on separate parts of the property and cleaned up for prospective buyers.

As agents were executing the search warrant during the raid, at least four people showed up to claim dogs they’d bought from Wylie online, Flak said.