LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — New details are emerging in an ongoing 13 investigation.
Hundreds of dogs in Nye County endured severe starvation and suffering.
When authorities finally took action against the breeder, it was too late for many of the animals.
13 Investigates obtained records and internal emails showing a lot of that suffering could have been prevented but authorities failed to act.
Nye County Animal Control, the sheriff's office and the district attorney have known for years that there were big problems with Vasili Platunov's dogs.
What follows is a timeline of what they knew, when they knew it, and what excuses they made for not charging him sooner.
On August 22, nearly 300 Caucasian Shepherd dogs were seized from breeder Vasili Platunov and his ex-wife, Oksana Higgins.
300 DOGS SEIZED FROM NYE COUNTY PROPERTY; BREEDERS ARRESTED FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY
The two now face multiple animal cruelty charges stemming from lack of care and inhumane conditions at two properties in Amargosa and Pahrump.
13 investigates just learned that so far, 21 of the dogs have been euthanized because they were in such bad shape, they couldn't be saved, and 26 more were discovered in one of four grave sites on the Amargosa property.
"It's a shame that we have to go through what we're doing," said Nye County Commission Chair Frank Carbone, whose words ring hollow in the wake of more than 100 pages of emails and internal records 13 investigates obtained.
Body camera footage and Animal Control citations reveal years of contact with Platunov and Higgins.
In 2017, Animal Control records show some of Platunov's employees complained of cruelty "As he puts puppies in with adult dogs and allows the adults to attack the puppies."
Officers were not able to substantiate that.
In June of 2018, the Nye County Planning Department requested the D.A. prosecute Platunov for his ongoing non-compliance in having too many dogs.
There's a civil case, but criminal charges were not pursued.
"It would have been nice if everything would have been handled differently from a court standpoint but I don't run the courts," said Carbone, who claims commissioners did all they had the power to do.
But a July 2020 email suggests Carbone pushed back against an effort to seize the dogs.
Animal Control Lt. Thomas Klenczar wrote to Sheriff Sharon Wehrly, "I spoke with Frank Carbone about the dogs and was advised we don't have a place to house that many dogs or enough food to feed them if we were to take them from (Platunov) him."
"We're talking about property," Carbone explained. "The animals are his property. And he has a constitutional right to his property. And that's the reason why you go through the process, and you get the court and the court makes a decision on what to go do in court. They wanted him to reduce the amount of animals."
RELATED: ASPCA pleads for medical help with neglected, emaciated dogs in Nye County cruelty case
In November 2021, documents reveal Animal Control officers took custody of some dogs that had gotten loose from Platunov's Pahrump property.
They found the dogs were too thin and needed veterinary care.
Lt. Klenczar overruled his own officers, saying the dogs "Did not need to be seen by a veterinarian and authorized" their release back to Platunov.
Fast forward a few months to February 7 of this year when Animal Control recommended approximately 235 counts of torture or cruelty after responding to a report of animal abuse at Platunov's home on Camellia Street.
Officer Susan Ryhal wrote, "Vasili Platunov and Oksana Higgins have failed to provide humane care to the dogs in their custody." The living area where the dogs are confined has been "grossly neglected, forcing the dogs to sleep, eat and live in their own waste."
Later that same month, Animal Control was called by a veterinarian due to a case of medical neglect with one of Platunov's dogs that was so severe the dog had to be euthanized.
Still, no charges, no seizure of the animals.
On April 14, Lt. Klenczar wrote, "Immediate action really puts a burden on the county with no space for anything."
Capt. David Boruchowitz pushed back, writing "I don't think we should wait at all." He later added, "Every day we wait is another egg-on-our-face moment. Hopefully it doesn't bite us."
Sheriff Wehrly responds, "The biggest problem is where do we put them?"
But records show the very next day, they had an answer to that.
The ASPCA reached out to help rescue, care for and even feed the dogs if a criminal case was started but it wasn't, and the animal welfare organization was not called in to help.
"Does it feel like he's just been getting a pass for too long?" Darcy Spears asked Beth Kakavulias of Desert Haven Animal Society.
"Yes, absolutely," Kakavulias said. "In my opinion, this should never have gotten to this extreme."
On April 26, Desert Haven took in 30 dogs Platunov surrendered.
He also gave 13 puppies to another rescue organization.
"Should neglect charges come from this? Should cruelty charges come from this?" Spears asked.
"Both. Absolutely," said Kakavulias.
The dogs she took in, "Most of them were easily anywhere between 50 to 70 pounds underweight. They had lacerations on their necks from dogfights, lacerations on their lips. One had what we thought was a broken leg, actually ended up being a previously broken leg that was probably re-fractured and re-healing. One of the females had a really big open gaping wound on the back of her neck."
Still, no charges.
In May, with the previous cruelty charges Animal Control recommended still sitting on the D.A.'s desk, Lt. Klenczar emailed Sheriff Wehrly, D.A. Chris Arabia and other county officials, writing "All the dogs look much better this inspection. The amount of food that was donated really fattened the dogs up. It's going to be real hard to go forward with a cruelty case."
"There's excuse after excuse or a reason after a reason," said Kakavulias.
Platunov and Higgins were finally arrested on Aug. 22.
Police records detail the same level of starvation the dogs surrendered in April endured.
A final email on Aug. 24 from Capt. Boruchowitz with the attachment "Turn a blind eye" accuses Sheriff Wehrly and Lt. Klenczar of ignoring the dogs' desperate situation.
We've asked multiple times for on-camera interviews with Sheriff Wehrly and Lt. Klenczar.
Neither has responded.
D.A. Chris Arabia declined to be interviewed.
We're expecting more records to be released next week and will continue updating this story.
