Dozens of Dogs Seized: Cops: 3 Arrested in Medford Raid and Charged With Animal Cruelty After Tip on

Jun 21, 06:57 AM

Current Headlines: By Daniel Wagner, Newsday, Melville, N.Y.

Jun. 21--A missing dog up for sale on an animal rescue Web site led Suffolk County police to a Medford house where they found more than 50 dogs in "deplorable condition" yesterday, authorities said.

Police on the scene last night said the house was littered with trash or debris, and animal feces and urine, and that there was no water in the dogs' dishes.

Three people at the house at 3298 Rte. 112 were arrested: residents David Bernacchi, 44, and Karen Schleich, 45, and Kristin Beauchesne, 25, of Shirley.

Bernacchi was charged with animal cruelty and Schleich was charged with possession of stolen property and animal cruelty.

Beauchesne, of 214 Floyd Rd., an employee of Bide-a-Wee animal shelter in Westhampton, was charged with grand larceny for allegedly stealing the dog in East Speonk, police said. All three were expected to be arraigned today.

Police gave the following account:

The dog was reported missing Saturday. A neighbor of the owner reported seeing someone in a truck with "Lucky Fund" written on it coax the dog into the vehicle. When questioned by police, Beauchesne said the dog had escaped from her backyard.

The owners were searching for their missing dog on the Internet and found a picture of the dog, a Shih Tzu that was for sale for $350.

Yesterday morning, the owners reported the discovery to police, which went to the Route 112 home where they found the dogs, many of them sickly.

Friends and nearby shopkeepers said the couple were only trying to rescue the dogs, that they constantly arrived with more packs of puppies collected from shelters in the tri-state area, Louise Castro, owner of a nearby self-service laundry, said.

"She lived for those dogs," Castro said. "She loved them. She would never do anything to hurt them."

The rented one-story house where the couple lived had feet-high grass, chipping paint and small, tattered American flags.

Suffolk police and veterinarians from the Suffolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals moved the dogs out.

A Bethpage woman who asked to be identified as Ilene said she knew the couple through her work with Lucky Fund, the purported rescue organization that Bernacchi ran.

She said Bernacchi had bankrupted himself to care of the puppies.

Officials said the dogs, which included a greyhound, Chihuahuas, a golden retriever and rottweilers, would be available for adoption.

Staff writer Bill Mason contributed to this story.

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