Boarding Facility Owners Charged With Animal Torture After 21 Dogs Found Dead

Sunday, nearly two dozen pet parents received a call no animal lover ever wants to get: Their dogs had unexpectedly passed away. Twenty-one dogs died over the course of one weekend at Anastasia's Acres, a boarding facility in Argyle, New York. Charges have been filed against the owners of the space, who investigators believe are at fault.

Danielle Barber is one pet parent who was left grieving. She dropped off her two Pit Bulls, Odin and Luna (pictured above), on Friday morning so her family could vacation in Myrtle Beach, reported WNYT. She said that she was told twice that Odin and Luna were doing well — and then, on Sunday, a call from local authorities informed her that her dogs had both passed away.

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Another family found out that their dog, Piglet, had died just hours before arriving to pick him up. Piglet was only supposed to stay at Anastasia’s Acres for two nights. “They went inside and got her and brought her out, and then we brought her home, and then we buried her in the backyard,” 12-year-old Hannah Elmore told CBS 6.

The boarding facility was run by Anastasia and Robert Palulis. Sources told WNYT that pets were kept in a small, enclosed area without air conditioning. Only one dog survived the ordeal and is now receiving medical attention.

“As a result of the investigation, it was determined that the owners of the facility failed to provide adequate water and ventilation for the animals,” the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Anastasia and Robert have been charged with 22 misdemeanors each on charges of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals, and failing to provide proper sustenance.

Barber, who entrusted Luna and Odin to the same boarders in the past, doesn’t understand how such a horrific thing happened. “Their house is literally thirty feet from the kennel where the dogs are boarded,” she told NBC 5. “So the fact that nobody went out to check on the dogs at any point in time — I’m sure there were dogs barking in distress.”

Dr. Joy Lucas, a veterinarian and owner of Upstate Animal Medical Center, stressed to WNYT that proper ventilation is absolutely necessary to keep animals safe. “You could have one or two animals in one area, but if that area doesn’t have good ventilation, that’s bad,” he said. “There could be ten in that same space with good ventilation and that’s fine.”

An investigation into the case is ongoing, and a court date has not yet been set. In the meantime, the mourning families are anxiously awaiting answers. “I hope that she is held responsible,” Barber told NBC 5. “It’s just completely unforgivable.”