Authorities arrested a former high school basketball coach and kennel owner after finding 41 dead dogs on his property.
Troy Tagtmeyer, 34, is in the Kit Carson County jail after he was arrested last week on suspicion of aggravated cruelty to animals.
“They found several dog carcasses and six dogs alive in poor health at that location. They were moved from the kennel and taken into the care of the Burlington dog pound,” said Kit Carson County Sheriff Ed Raps.
One of the sick dogs has since died, and a thorough search of Tagtmeyer’s Neco Kennel on County Road 31 turned up the bones of more dogs.
Tagtmeyer coached varsity basketball at Stratton High School for four years. Stratton’s principal told him last week that his coaching services wouldn’t be needed anymore, said Stratton Schools Superintendent Eric Moser.
His dismissal had nothing to do with the kennel, Moser added. “We had a losing record and felt like we wanted to move in a positive direction. It was nothing against him; he was a good coach and a good man.”
The state ordered Tagtmeyer to close the kennel recently, Raps said.
Several complaints about puppies purchased from the kennel are posted on the consumer-complaint website .
One unhappy customer wrote: “I drove four hours each way to get this St. Bernard puppy. The puppy stunk like manure so bad. I didn’t understand when someone is paying $800 for a dog, that one wouldn’t wash it for the customers. A very unpleasant ride home. I took him to a vet and got X-rays; he had flat hip sockets, and his back leg bones were attached by muscle only, and when he walked, you could see his legs pop out and in.”
Another complaint posted on a canine-information website, ., said: “I received four pups from Neco Kennels; one died shortly after arriving of Parvo and infected a litter of my own 6-week-old dachshund puppies (our 1 litter a year). One of the other pups had a severed tail, with the bone protruding and will need surgery to close. He sent no medical records of the dogs, registration papers, or contract as promised. After receiving the dogs I tried every day to contact him by phone and e-mail, with no answer. DO NOT GET DOGS FROM THIS MAN!”
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
