Times staff
Monday, October 11, 2010
TARPON SPRINGS — The owner of a Safety Harbor puppy store is facing additional charges of animal cruelty after Tarpon Springs police reported finding 12 hungry and thirsty puppies locked in pens without food or water in a rented U.S. 19 storefront.
Police said Bernard E. Nowakowski, 58, apparently rented the unit Friday in Olympic Plaza, 40176 U.S. 19 N, and moved 12 puppies there.
Nowakowski, owner of the PuppyLuv pet store at 2741 McMullen-Booth Road in Safety Harbor, was charged with 26 counts of animal cruelty Sunday. Tarpon Springs police charged him with 12 more counts of animal cruelty Monday.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, which investigated the Safety Harbor incident, asked Tarpon Springs police to check on the welfare of puppies that were being kept at the Olympic Plaza storefront.
There, officers found five pens with puppies inside each pen. Officers couldn't see any water or food dishes in the pens.
A plaza maintenance employee unlocked the door for officers because there were no employees present tending to the animals. The puppies were given food and water, and the Pinellas County SPCA arrived to take custody of them.
The 12 puppies of various breeds appeared in good health other than being hungry and thirsty, police said. Food for the dogs was found inside the business.
Nowakowski was arrested Sunday after customers at his Safety Harbor store called police when they noticed several animals living in filthy conditions. Would-be customers arrived at the store and noticed the door was open, but no one was tending the sales floor.
Customers were disturbed by the condition of the animals. Deputies found 26 dogs in pens with no food or water, and some animals were covered in their own filth.