A pet groomer charged in 2001 with animal cruelty for keeping 264 animals at a Chico-area house was charged again Friday after authorities found 36 pets living in squalor at the same house during a September inspection. The misdemeanor second-degree animal cruelty charges in Kitsap County District Court against Cherilyn M. Wilson, 68, follow felony animal cruelty charges filed in Lewis County Superior Court against Cherilyn Wilson and her husband, Roy I. Wilson. Cherilyn Wilson's grooming business, Happy Tails Pet Grooming, on Silver Pine Drive in Bremerton, was not properly licensed, according to court documents. When arrested in 2001, Cherilyn Wilson ran Happy Tails out of the Chico-area house, which is where the 264 animals were seized at that time. Lewis County authorities inspected the couple's Winlock residence three days after Kitsap Animal Control went to the Chico-area house in September. At the Winlock home, authorities found a female pony on the ground in "very poor condition" with a painful hoof condition called laminitis. The progression of the disease indicated that the pony had been suffering "for at least several years," according to a veterinarian who examined the pony. A deputy at the Winlock residence described the hoofs as appearing like a large root from a plant. "They were not recognizable as hoofs if seen by the untrained eye," according to charging documents, though the veterinarian reported that the limping and settling on the ground by the pony would have been enough for an "average person" to realize the pony needed attention. The pony was euthanized. Lewis County authorities alleged five dogs were found caged in a barn on the property with feces piled up and covering the ground. Although the water bowls were filled, they had been contaminated by food and dirt and inside one they found a dead rodent. The pair face five counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals charges for the dogs. The charges in Lewis County were filed Nov. 20. Though the five dogs and the pony account for the criminal charges, a Lewis County Animal Control officer said in addition to the pony there were a total of 28 dogs, five rabbits and goats on the property, according to Kitsap Animal Control reports. Reached by phone, Cherilyn Wilson said she was unaware of the new charges in Kitsap County and declined to comment. On Sept. 11, Kitsap Animal Control officers went into the Chico-area residence and found 26 dogs, four cats, five rabbits and a guinea pig. One officer wrote feces had risen two to six inches high in places and the county Department of Community Development condemned the buildings on the property as unfit for animals and humans. "The smell was so strong it burned my eyes and a respirator didn't make a difference," the officer wrote in court documents. Cherilyn Wilson agreed to surrender the animals and said she had been traveling from Lewis County to care for them but the task had overwhelmed her. "Wilson said she knew it was wrong how the animals were kept but that she loved them," according to court documents. She could give the names of two to three of the dogs, according to reports. Most of the animals at the Chico house were kept in kennels or pens, except for some cats. Cherilyn WIlson told officers the cats helped keep down the rats, but officers noted in reports they could see rats darting along the floor and hear them fighting under the debris. None of the animals required euthanasia, though many required veterinary care. The 2001 seizure at the Chico-area house overwhelmed the Kitsap Humane Society, which suddenly had to house and care for dozens of dogs, rabbits, pygmy goats, guinea pigs, two horses and an "unknown number of chickens," according to a Kitsap Sun report. Cherilyn Wilson's lawyer during the 2001 case told the newspaper she admitted to having too many animals on the property, but she and her husband had been adequately caring for them until she fell ill. read more

My neighbor and I took our sister Yorkie puppies in for a bath and trim and they came back shaved with gouges where clippers had gone too deep. Both puppies were very anxious and acted skiddish even after we got them home. No, I do not recommend going to this groomer. read more

My chihuahua always comes back with a silky coat and feeling much less itchy when she gets a bath here! The owner is very *kind* and personable, and tries her very best to work with both dogs and cats (not all places work with cats, they can be pretty tough customers!)... I've been taking my dog here for the past 2 years with excellent results and recommend her grooming to everyone! read more

I took our dog here twice. The first time when I got her home her nails were bleeding. This should have been a red flag. But I thought perhaps it was a one time event. The second time I waited while she was being groomed. I could hear her yelping in the back room. I stepped toward the door to see if everything was ok and Cherilyn yelled at me to get out of her private area. She insisted I leave the building, which I did not. She had cut my dog's ear and I am sure that is why she was yelping. It was still bleeding when I got her out of there fast. The place smells horrible, the floors are filthy. Do not go there!! read more

I took my cat here for a nail trimming. The place smelled of ammonia and cat spray. It was strong enough to make you want to walk I guess I mean make you want to run out. The women is very good with animals she just needs to clean up the environment where she works. read more

My first time appointment, picked my little dog up, she got her summer cut, we get home and as she walked on our carpet , she was leaving lots of blood, then looked at the pants I was wearing which were black, OMG, lots of blood on them too that I had not noticed as she rode on my lap on the way home, we got the bleeding stopped, then last night as we rubbed her belly, noticed she had a large clipper burn on the inside of her thigh, which looked like a raw blister!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would not recommend going there!! The place had an odor to it too!!! I will not be going back, the price was outrageous too!!!!!!!!!!! read more

i've been taking my dog to happy tails for 3 years now..I have a shitzu, a difficult little gem but melinda has always been excellant with her and she always looks absolutely happy and cute as a button when I pick her up...i'm extremely happy with the service there....the nicest ladies... thank you for taking such great care of my little friend...it means a lot! read more

I took my cat in yesterday to have his nails clipped and a bath, I got him back and he is COVERED in fleas. Poor guy, he has never had fleas and he is not having it. I'm mad, going to get my money back Monday. He's an inside cat and we live on the third floor of an apartment building, I take him out once to have him cleaned and this is what I get. read more

I took my cat to Happy Tails Pet Grooming located by the Fairgrounds in Bremerton WA. Groomer Lori, gave my cat a lion cut, but shaved my cat all over down to the bare skin, I was horrified when I picked up my cat, it looked like a naked mole rat. STAY AWAY from Happy Tails, Lori does not know how to groom. You are better off taking your furry friends to PetCo or Pets Mart. read more

DO NOT LET THIS BUSINESS NEAR YOUR DOG OR CAT! I left my Dog in the care of this business and when my Dog had a medical problem during a grooming - they did not contact me right away! Only when they were done grooming my dog did they call me to come get her! When I arrived there everyone was standing around just looking at my Dog - who was in OBVIOUS Medical Distress!!! I rushed my Dog to the Vet and she died about 2 hours later! The shop is not air-conditioned and they do not follow the standards of other shops! I have since researched Pet Grooming policies and standards at other shops and I cannot in good conscience let any one else go through the trama that I recently experienced at this shop! BEWARE - if fact RUN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION if you care about your pet!! read more