Sled dogs in animal abuse case off to Maine

By DAVE RICHARDSON Chronicle Staff Writer

More than 30 sled dogs found in neglected condition in February got clean bills of health Monday before being shipped off to Maine to live with the father of their owner.

ERIK PETERSEN/CHRONICLE Roger "Rodeo" Vincent unloads a sled dog from his truck Monday at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds for a vet checkup. Vincent was one of many volunteers who took care of 33 dogs that were seized from John T. Hessert in an animal cruelty investigation in February. In May, District Judge Holly Brown ordered the dogs to be placed with Hessert’s father who lives in Maine. The 31 dogs are part of an animal cruelty case against John T. Hessert of West Yellowstone. Hessert faces felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty charges after county animal control officials found 33 sled dogs in emaciated conditions, apparently from a lack of food and exposed without shelter to subzero temperatures on his property.

The dogs were impounded, and have been receiving foster care from a dozen local volunteers. In May, District Court Judge Holly Brown ruled - over the objections of the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office and the volunteers - that Hessert’s father, Stephen T. Hessert, be allowed to take 31 of the dogs to his 96-acre property in Maine.

One older dog was allowed to remain in local foster care, while another younger dog will be sold to its foster owner. Eight puppies will remain in foster care here pending the outcome of the younger Hessert’s trial, scheduled for Aug. 13.

The dogs were examined Monday at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds by local veterinarian Sue Geske and veterinary technician Cara Greger, both of the Double Diamond Veterinary Hospital in Bozeman.

The dogs, all of which were in terrible shape when they were first brought in, had recovered well and were in far better condition than they were the first time she saw them in February, Geske said.

“Most of them are in good condition,” Geske said. “They have good body weight and muscle tone, and they’re all very alert, bright and responsive.”

Many of the volunteer foster caretakers were on hand Monday, for the examinations and to say goodbye to the dogs they had cared for since March. But all said they were upset by Brown’s decision.

“I honestly think it’s a joke,” said Roger “Rodeo” Vincent of West Yellowstone. Vincent is a neighbor of Hessert’s who initially called authorities to check on the dogs.

“What happens to the dogs after they leave the state?” Vincent asked. “What happens when that kid is found guilty? What happens when those dogs are damn near dead again?”

Jeanne Knox, another volunteer caretaker agreed.

“We do not understand at all Judge Brown’s decision to let the dogs out of the state,” Knox said.

Stephen Hessert, an attorney, said he was confident his son would be acquitted, and that he would give the dogs the best care possible. He agreed to return the dogs for the trial if asked to do so by the court, and to keep his son away from the dogs until after the trial.

“I do think there have been a lot of misstatements and misunderstandings in this case,” he said. “I would like to thank all the people who’ve been taking care of these dogs, and they can rest assured they will continue to be well taken care of.”

As the dogs were being loaded into the elder Hessert’s truck - fitted with 26 straw-floored pens for the 2,500 mile trip to Maine, volunteer Terry Cunningham said he wasn’t satisfied.

“I wonder if the judge and the county attorney’s office really have the best interests of these animals at heart,” Cunningham said.

Dave Richardson can be reached at drichardson@dailychronicle.com or 582-2648.

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