Officials say 13 dogs from raid claimed

By Walter Wright
Advertiser Staff Writer

Thirteen of the 27 puppies and dogs found during a raid on a Hawai'i Kai condominium Wednesday have been returned to their owners, The Hawaiian Humane Society said yesterday.

"We continue to receive information from persons who say they had problems with the woman who was keeping the puppies, and our investigation of possible charges of animal cruelty is continuing," Humane Society spokeswoman Eve Holt said.

Lucy Kagan, who rented the condominium unit in the Marina Villa complex, has denied anyone was cruel to the animals.

Kagan says she was dog-sitting 21 of the dogs, and that six are hers. She said a person at the condo who was supposed to take care of the animals in her absence had failed to clean up after them as much as she wanted, but that otherwise all were being well-cared for.

Holt said owners of 13 of the animals had come forward by Friday with photographs and documentation proving the animals were theirs.

Humane society officials who discovered the dogs in the two-story residential unit said the animals were living in squalor, amid trash and feces.

Bryan Windisch, manager of field services for the Humane Society, has said animals will not be returned to Kagan if she is charged, but will be kept as evidence in the case.

Animal cruelty is a misdemeanor with possible penalties of up to a $2,000 fine and a year in jail.

Reach Walter Wright at wwright@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8054.