Dog breeders accused of starving German shepherds won’t get them back

A southeastern Minnesota couple accused of starving and torturing the dogs they bred won’t get back the 15 German shepherds authorities seized in February.

Fillmore County District Judge Jeremy Clinefelter on Monday ruled against returning the dogs to Donald Anderson and Elham Alayyoub of LeRoy.

Clinefelter said sheriff’s deputies and agents from the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley were justified in taking the dogs after discovering they appeared underfed and were living in filthy conditions.

“What’s alarming is the seeming disconnect between their love and care for these animals, and what was clearly happening,” Clinefelter said.

Anderson and Alayyoub face nine charges of misdemeanor mistreatment of animals ranging from animal cruelty to torturing and depriving them of food and shelter. Humane Society veterinarians found all 15 dogs were malnourished.

The dogs — nine adults and six puppies — have slowly regained weight since they were taken to the Humane Society, according to court records. Some had been emaciated; others had abscesses. At least one dog was diagnosed with intestinal parasites.

Court records show Anderson and Alayyoub told the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office in early February that they were concerned someone was poisoning their dogs. One dog had unexpectedly died, and another had died in November under similar circumstances.

Anderson and Alayyoub took the German shepherd’s body to the University of Minnesota, where a veterinarian determined that the dog was severely underweight and dehydrated when it died. Its death was due to heart issues and a twisted stomach, according to complaints.

Court documents show a sheriff’s deputy told Anderson and Alayyoub the vet’s findings in a visit on Feb. 13. The deputy reported seeing an underweight dog and described the kennels as filthy. A local vet who visited the farm later that day found another underweight German shepherd.

Several people testified at hearings in March that the kennels and dogs were covered in feces and urine when deputies and Humane Society agents inspected the farm and seized the German shepherds on Feb. 22.

Courtroom pictures of several kennels showed floors mostly covered with filth as well as soggy cardboard bedding, which an Humane Society agent previously said was potentially hazardous to dogs.

Steven J. Hovey, the breeders’ attorney, had previously said the dogs weighed more at the time of their seizure than at earlier veterinary appointments. He said Monday that Anderson and Alayyoub took sufficient care of the dogs, at one point showing video of a puppy eating food at their farm.

Clinefelter disagreed, pointing out two dogs had died before the breeders sought help from law enforcement.

Anderson and Alayyoub’s first criminal hearing is scheduled for May 16.