Dogs seized from home

TAMPA - They are shaking and scared, 20 dogs in all. Most of them are poodles, who investigators say were living in filth.

"Severe matting. It's coming off in one big sheet, like a coat," said Hillsborough County animal control worker Colleen Bigsby.

Veterinarians say they're a mess -- suffering from fleas, mites, mammary tumors and cataracts.

Their fur is matted with feces and urine.

One of the poodles has an injured hip and has trouble walking.

"It's sad. It's very, very sad. These are sweet, loving dogs. They're obviously enjoying being touched and groomed and being paid gentle attention to today," said veterinarian Dr. Lisa Centonze.

Hillsborough investigators took the dogs from a breeder's home in Tampa. They say 73-year old Patricia Dickson is no stranger. Back in February, they say, a judge ordered her not to have any more animals.

"We've been dealing with Ms. Dickson for many years, trying to work with her. We feel that it's out of control, and that's why we got the warrant and removed the animals," said Pam Perry, a Hillsborough County animal control investigator.

Dickson admits the older dogs are in bad shape, but says she's done nothing wrong.

"I called up to have them put down, but it cost too much money to have them put down, and I don't have the money. Now they come and take them and they'll probably kill them or whatever," Dickson said.

But animal services says there are no plans to put the dogs down. Instead, one by one, they were carefully washed, groomed and taken care of. For workers here, it's becoming all too routine.

This is the third time in just the past few weeks that investigators have seized dozens of dogs from homes.

"It just almost seems like it's more of the same," Bigsby said. "I'm a huge animal lover and it just breaks my heart that people think this is ok. That there's nothing wrong with this and this is deplorable."