24 March 28 • 2019
jn

jews d
in 
the

STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Dozens of dogs found at a Jewish cemetery.
Animal Rescue

M

acomb and Oakland 
County animal control 
officers are investigating the 
discovery of dozens of dogs found 
in a garage at the Aaron Moishe 
Cemetery, also known as Beth Ahm 
Park, in Roseville. They found 33 
dogs there and nine more dogs at the 
West Bloomfield rental residence of a 
51-year old woman who had put the 
dogs in the ceme-
tery garage. Later, 
authorities rescued 
10 more dogs from 
the home next to 
the garage, which 
belonged to the 
woman.
Rabbi Boruch 
Levin, execu-
tive director 
of the Hebrew 
Benevolent Society, 
which cares for the 
cemetery, said it 
was a good deed of 
the cemetery fore-
man that led to the 
dogs being on the 
property. The fore-
man told Levin he was doing a favor 
for the woman who had taken in the 
dogs. Apparently, the roof of the shel-
ter where she had been keeping the 
dogs had collapsed and the 33 dogs 
had nowhere else to go. 
Levin said the foreman did not 
notify him that he was taking the 
dogs into the garage, which the rabbi 
said was spacious, clean and warm, 
because the incident occurred over 
the Sabbath. The foreman’
s friend 
had brought space heaters and food 
and blankets to the garage for the 
dogs, who spent about 36 hours there. 
Authorities determined the dogs were 
being held in unhealthy and unsani-
tary conditions and needed immedi-
ate medical attention. The dogs were 
taken to local shelters.
Levin said the Roseville police did 
not issue any citations against the 
cemetery or the foreman. Levin added 
that the foreman had a kind heart and 
there will be no consequences for him 
taking in the dogs. 
Roseville Deputy Police Chief 
Donald Glandon said in a statement 
that the woman, whose name has 

not yet been released to media, will 
be issued a citation under a Roseville 
city ordinance concerning unlicensed 
kennels. The charge is a misdemean-
or, Glandon said.
“It’
s too early in the investigation 
to determine whether any laws were 
broken, but we are working with 
Macomb County to get a clearer 
picture about the conditions under 
which the dogs 
were kept,” said 
Bob Gatt, manag-
er of the Oakland 
County Animal 
Shelter & Pet 
Adoption Center, 
where some of the 
pets were taken. 
Local news 
reports from 
WXYZ-TV and 
WWJ radio say a 
passerby alerted 
Macomb County 
authorities to the 
situation at the 
cemetery.
Additional 
tips led Oakland 
County authorities to the woman’
s 
rental residence at a home on the 
corner of Walnut and Orchard Lake 
roads. The woman, who said she is 
running an animal rescue operation, 
is cooperating with investigators. 
Although state law does not require 
a license to operate an animal rescue, 
according to Oakland County author-
ities, local ordinances determine 
how many and what kind of animals 
may be kept on a property. Criminal 
charges are possible if authorities 
believe the dogs were abused or 
neglected, but none had been filed by 
press time.
Patty Trevino of the River Rouge 
Animal Shelter told WWJ that local 
rescue groups are scrambling to help 
the seized dogs. She believes greater 
oversight is needed for well-meaning 
people who start their own animal 
rescues and become overwhelmed.
“It’
s just becoming too frequent, 
and it’
s going to be damaging; not 
only to the dogs or cats that are in 
that situation, but the bigger issue of 
what it does to reputable rescues. It 
casts doubt on them,” Trevino said. ■

Drew, one of the dogs confiscated from the 
West Bloomfield home, at the Oakland County 
Animal Shelter And Adoption Center 

OAKLAND COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AND ADOPTION CENTER

Questions?

Email Sy Manello at 
smanello@renmedia.us 
or call him at 248-351-5147.

Free Listing Submission 
Deadline is May 10, 2019.

The Jewish News will honor all Jewish 
students who are graduating this spring from 
Michigan high schools in our Cap & Gown 
Yearbook 2019, which will be published 
in the May 25 issue.

Free listings include a photo and up to 
40 words listing your accomplishments.

All listings must be submitted online. 
Go to thejewishnews.com/cap-and-gown 
to submit your free listing today!

