Animal Cruelty Charges Announced Against Vet and Employee at Dolton Animal Hospital

Caption: (Top to bottom) Dolton dogs recovering at Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge. (Across) Dogs found Sunday by police lying on urine soaked paper, and feces encrusted cage at the Dolton Animal Hospital. (Large photo) Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and Animal Welfare League President Linda Estrada address the news media on Tuesday about the gruesome discovery at the Dolton Animal Hospital. | Photos by Lorraine Swanson and Cook County Sheriff’s Office.

Holding a puppy in his arms that was found at a maggot-infested, south suburban animal hospital over the weekend, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart announced charges against the veterinarian and manager purported to be connected to the facility.

Dr. Amardeep Sangha, 54, of Naperville, and an animal hospital employee, Sharon Cargile, 59, of Chicago, were each charged with five counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals and and eight misdemeanor counts of violations of owner’s duties.

Sangha was arrested Tuesday afternoon at Sheriff’s Police headquarters in Maywood. Cargile was taken into custody Sunday at the Dolton Animal Hospital, where the gruesome discovery was made, Dart said.

A Dolton police officer dropping off a stray dog on Sunday where the municipality had a contract with the Dolton Animal Hospital at 15022 Lincoln Avenue, to take in the village’s lost and stray pets, when he noticed something not quite right.

“The officer had a key and let himself in the basement, where police are able to access anytime to leave a dog there,” Dart announced at during a press conference outside the Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge. “That’s when the officer saw one of the dead [dogs] and that’s when they called us.”

Four dogs were found dead in their cages covered with maggots. Another dog was found dead in a plastic bag, and twelve more were discovered in a freezer, Dart said.

The sheriff added that it wasn’t unusual for euthanized animals to be placed in a freezer until they could be taken elsewhere.

Also found were nine live dogs lying in feces and urine inside their cages, most all of them anemic and suffering from some degree of malnourishment. A kitten was recovered at the facility that has since died.

Dart said that necropsies were presently being performed on the four deceased dogs and additional charges may be forthcoming against the veterinarian and his employee.

“I can’t understand the dynamics here at all,” Dart said. “We’ve had cases like this but this was outside any norm we’ve encountered.”

It is unclear who owns the animal hospital, but Dart said that Sangha and Cargile primarily ran the facility. Dart said that investigators are unaware at this time of anyone else connected to the facility. Also unknown is if the animal hospital is undergoing financial problems.

“I know Dolton had been using them for some period of time and had a contract with them,” the sheriff said. “[Cargile] basically said that things got away from them there. That was the response we got.”

Seven of the rescued dogs are being nursed back to health and will soon be adopted out through the Animal Welfare League, including the lab- mix puppy in Dart’s arms that he planned to bring home. The breeds range from a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and Jack Russell Terrier-mix, to American Staffordshires and Lab-mixes.

An emaciated shepherd-terrier mix unable to walk due to sepsis infection is being kept at Animal Welfare League for further medical treatment. A female Staffordshire bull terrier and boxer mix also had her breasts removed on Tuesday and is recuperating at the animal hospital. It is still touch and go for both dogs.

“The breasts rupture when they take pups away too early from the mama dog,” Animal Welfare League President Linda Estrada said. “They’re full of milk and the mammary glands get full and infected. That’s what happened to her. She is so anemic her blood is watery.”

Dart said that his office planned to ask the Cook County Board of Commissioners to adopt ordinances regulating facilities that accept stray pets from municipalities.

“I can’t emphasize enough what everyone saw when they went into this place,” Dart added. “We are asking the county board to do some licensure in this area for individuals who wish to take municipal dogs as strays. They would have to agree to have facilities examined by a county inspector once a year.”

According to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Sangha has been licensed with the state as a vet since 1990. His current license is due to expire in December 2015.

Estrada said that when the rescued dogs were brought into Animal Welfare League on Sunday, they were scared and trembling.

“It was like they were so happy to be somewhere that they knew they’d be safe,” she said. “Once we brought out the food and blankets their tails started wagging. It broke our hearts.”

Anyone interested in adopting the Dolton dogs, or any of the 1,000 dogs currently housed at the Animal Welfare League in Chicago, may contact the shelter and leave their information at 708-636-8586.