It took three votes and more than three hours, but the Pinal County Planning & Zoning Commission yesterday morning sent a controversial dog-breeding kennel case back to the Board of Supervisors for approval. 

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve special-use permits for Abbott’s German Shepherds kennels, a family-owned dog-breeding business spread across two properties in rural Maricopa. The commissioners also approved amendments to stipulations reviewed in a May 30 supervisor meeting.  

The two kennels operate in two locations in Thunderbird Farms and Hidden Valley: one on Jean Drive and another location on Val Vista Road. The latter location has been in operation since 1994.  

Currently, the kennels operate with only a kennel permit, something not typically allowed on a 3-acre property zoned as a suburban ranch. The county code states that commercial kennels — Abbott’s German Shepherds markets itself as such — must encompass at least 5 acres to operate in these zones.  

The issue was initially remanded due to several new stipulations that had not been approved by the commission since they were added. Supervisors also noted that public commenters had opposed the rezoning.  

Neighborly squabbles 

During the public hearing yesterday, neighbors aired lingering dramas.  

Chad and Katie Buhr, who live next door to one of the kennels, shared their concerns about noise, safety and disruptions to their quality of life, as well as calling kennel owners Shell Abbott and Russ Byers liars. 

“There’s been a lot of lies said today, I can’t hit them all … Please know that there’s been a lot of deception, ‘smoke and mirrors’ as our county supervisors identified,” Chad Buhr said.  

He added that he doesn’t allow his three children outside for fear the dogs may jump over the fence and injure them. He cited the fences ranging from 4 to 6 feet tall but didn’t identify a time when a dog had cleared one. 

Byers sniped back, saying the Buhrs had been targeting his business for years after an incident that involved the trimming of a mesquite tree along the property line.  

“Ever since then, he has hated us. He’s tried to make complaints about the dogs, even when there’s no issue and that’s all that’s been going on this entire time is one singular neighbor who hates my guts and who hates our family and is going out of his way to make our life miserable,” Byers said during the meeting. 

Third time’s a charm 

Despite the drama, P&Z Vice Chair Robert Klob took county staff to task issuing a kennel permit while the property was out of zoning compliance.  

The staff said that until recently, operations were less stringent and there had been “a lack of communication” between departments.  

“We’ve corrected that going forward,” they said.  

Ultimately, the commissioners voted three times: they denied a request to continue the issue; they denied a motion to approve the current stipulations, but they unanimously voted to approve the case with updates to the stipulations: 

• Revised stipulation to remove “for breeding purposes” regarding how many adult dogs are allowed on the property. 

• Revised stipulation to add “except that the dogs shall be brought into the kennels during daylight hours for a minimum of three hours” in relation to housing the dogs. 

• Revised stipulation to add “excepting only a 30-day lapse, unless the lapse is caused by Pinal County” regarding under which circumstances the permit may be revoked. 

• Revised stipulation to add “or licensee” and “or change of licensee” on any changes in property ownership. 

InMaricopa contacted Abbott’s German Shepherds for comment but did not hear back by publication time.