# Lionheart Mastiff Seizure



## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

As Laurelin posted dogs have been seized fro the abandoned home of Gloria Davis. Heree is a link with a picture of Gloria, not her handler Sweetie. http://www.facebook.com/Harleybiker2009#!/photo.php?pid=3366643&id=831668629&ref=mf This woman is suspected to be heading to Florida with 10 dogs, keep a look out for her. 

If you are in South Carolina and can help directly please do, Southern States Mastiff Rescue has the surviving dogs and need help of ALL types. Know well that the Mastiff Community is outraged over what has happened in this case


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## LittleFr0g (Jun 11, 2007)

The link doesn't work.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Here is the picture


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Thank you for the update. 

Do you suggest cross posting?


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

If you don't mind. I think www.*sosmastiffrescue.org* is holding aside all donations made on behalf of Gloria's Mastiffs, it has yet to be determined if they will get custody of the dogs or not. I know many of their volunteers and I hope they do get the dogs into thier foster program.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

She might get away with this by crossing State Lines and Florida or Texas.. well there are protective laws in Florida. I know this from a former Process server and skip tracer. Getting info out of those two States was difficult. 

And that would indeed be a travesty.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

I was reading some Mastiff forums and the stories sound like something out of a crazy, crazy movie. 

She CAN'T possibly get that far I hope. She's got 10 MASTIFFS with her. Someone would HAVE to see something along the way.


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## pittsabowawa (Jul 26, 2009)

Can someone please give me a link with the story.. I missed Laurs thread and now all the links aren't working..


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## RedyreRottweilers (Dec 17, 2006)

* MASTIFF BREEDER MISSING*

 
*   If Gloria Davis, Lionhearted Mastiffs, starved and abandoned her mastiffs, why were others found shot in the head? Is this hideous animal cruelty or a Missing Person case?*


 *   ANDERSON, SC © TheDogPress  Staff -   02|22|10 -   Davis bred mastiffs for over 30 years. Her Lionhearted dogs were behind many top mastiff kennels. Why would she abandon her dogs to die of starvation and even stranger, why shoot her treasured dark brindle mastiffs? Is it possible someone else shot the dogs?*


*  Initial reports were of a horrific case of “mastiff breeder gone crazy” in that Gloria Davis appeared to have abandoned her dogs to starvation and gone into hiding. Rumors of “awful conditions” and “terrible dirt kennels” abound. Some mastiff breeders think that she was unable to cope after her move from Tennessee to South Carolina, and that in desperation, Davis killed her dogs and fled the scene.*


Our investigation indicates a much more complex story. It is true that the dogs found alive were starving, even though there was another mastiff breeder on the premises. The question that comes immediately to mind is “why?” It was determined that the dead dogs, in an advanced state of decomposition, were well fleshed. Examination then revealed those gorgeous mastiffs had been shot in the back of the head.

Why would Gloria Davis abandon her life’s work? Why would she shoot the dark colored dogs she treasured and leave others to starve to death? The bodies were taken for cremation by another mastiff breeder, Cathy Arney. It was estimated that the dogs had been dead for several weeks. Cathy said the stench was as overwhelming as the sickening sights she confronted.

Where is Gloria Davis? No one has heard from her, not even her close friends who email or talk to her on a regular basis. Gloria was a loving daughter who talked to her elderly parents in Florida weekly. When they didn’t hear from her, they filed a missing person report over a month ago. Why has Davis not been in touch with her parents?
 
When Animal Control went to the property with seizure warrants last Tuesday, they also found two puppies, estimated to be about 2 weeks old. They were partially burned and then apparently thrown into a trash can while still alive. What breeder could do such a thing?

Those who know Davis personally say “there is no way she abused dogs!” If Gloria Davis didn’t shoot her own dogs, then who shot the mastiffs? Who burned the puppies?
 
There are other circumstances which we can’t discuss at this time because Gloria’s disappearance is under police and South Carolina state investigation. Mastiff breeders and owners have turned their hearts inside out over this horrible puzzle and the gruesome deaths. 

 We'll stay on this story as it unravels and we are able to give you more facts from the police investigation.

  http://www.thedogpress.com/SideEffects/10022-Mastiff-Breeder-Missing.asp​


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Ugh yes I had been following this and saw Cathy's posts on the other forum. It's so tragic and you just wonder WHY. You have to wonder about her vanishing too. I just don't know what to think about all this.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Also read this: http://kiokeemastiffscom.blogspot.com/


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

Oh, oh no no. THat last blog post is brutal, I am just so saddened. I can say that if the info in the blog post is even partially true that it looks like Ms. Davis was likely murdered by the lady at the kennels and that all of the abuse/neglect and dog deaths were caused by her as well. It appears she is seriously mentally ill. 

We must be very careful not to vilify Ms. Davis without proof, if she WAS the person who loved her dogs, it would be just as tragic to blame her when it's likely she was a victim as well.


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## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

I am ashamed to admit I jumped to the same conclusion as many others...that Ms Davis did these horrible things to her dogs. The blog brought tears to my eyes and after looking at the first 2 photos, I could look no further. 

May justice be found for Max, the Mastiff's of Lionheart Mastiff and Ms Davis...whatever may end up being the true story.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Based on the initial reports it was the logical conclusion... Either way Gloria Davis needs to be found. I hope they find her alive but I'm not really sure that's the case.


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## Ayanla (Jun 11, 2009)

I read a lot of posts on the mastiff forums when this first broke and many people who had known her, or known of her, for years jumped to the conclusion that she was responsible, so it's understandable those who had never even heard of her would believe the same.

http://www.worldmastiffforum.com/post?id=4589536

That's a good thread to read because many of the posters knew her personally either in real life or on the forum.

Now it's obvious that there's more to the story than was apparent at first glance. Hopefully everything will come to light in time.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Ayanla said:


> I read a lot of posts on the mastiff forums when this first broke and many people who had known her, or known of her, for years jumped to the conclusion that she was responsible, so it's understandable those who had never even heard of her would believe the same.
> 
> http://www.worldmastiffforum.com/post?id=4589536
> 
> ...


 
People believed it because she had abandoned mastiffs before, years ago. Hopefully someone gets to the bottom of this soon.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

cshellenberger said:


> People believed it because she had abandoned mastiffs before, years ago. Hopefully someone gets to the bottom of this soon.


I had heard rumors that she had before (along with allegations of other incidents) but had never heard any substantiated fact that she had.


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## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

Laurelin said:


> I had heard rumors that she had before (along with allegations of other incidents) but had never heard any substantiated fact that she had.


WOW, this whole thing keeps getting curiouser and curiouser.


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## Swampie (May 26, 2010)

I have known Gloria Davis for almost 30 years. She's always had a lot of dogs and has taken good care of them. Times have been tough, but she isn't the type of person to kill her own dogs, or to starve them.

There is more to this story. Gloria is a good person and responsible breeder.

I have two of her dogs right now, Morgan I got when she was 4 1/2 and is the best dog I've ever had. My first Mastiff, Tigerlily, was the most intelligent dog I've ever had or seen, she was undersized yet ruled our roost back then.

Tigerlily would warm herself in front of the fire place. She's turn her head one way for a few minutes then the other. One time when I was first with my wife Lily came in and barked at us a few times, we made fun of her the fuss she was making, then a little later we herd the clank of her metal water bowl on our hardwood floor, her fuss was she wanted some water and to tell her bone headed owners she had to bring her bowl from the back porch through the kitchen to the dining room floor to make her point. Soon after that we got a much larger water container realizing how much they drank everyday.

She did many other things. Morgan is the most obedient dog I've ever seen and she's so sweet and playful. To get her some pett'n she'll use her nose like a bottle nosed dolphin and flip your arm around to the petting position. If you throw her a dog biscuit a little too far from her she pulls it in with her big paw, she uses her paw and nose more than any dog I've seen. She's almost black I love her so much.

Gloria gave Morgan to me. I bred her Morgan only had one offspring a daughter, I have her too, Gabby, Gabs talks a lot so does Morgan.

Gloria's dogs have provided me with so much joy and companionship over the years and her word is as good as gold.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Swampie, the last I heard Gloria's disappearance was being investigated under suspicious circumstances. It's seems it's very possible that the Mastiffs found weren't the only murders to have taken place.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

IMO there is foul play involved here.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Are their any updates in the case? Does anyone know anything? What happened to her.. Uhhh.. "partner?" the dogs that were seized? any info???


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## BooLette (Jul 11, 2009)

Elana55 said:


> Are their any updates in the case? Does anyone know anything? What happened to her.. Uhhh.. "partner?" the dogs that were seized? any info???


If you go to the link that Ayanla posted you can read the most recent news. I read that the "partner" Kazia went to court and that Gloria's dogs were awarded to the Mastiff Rescue, I think.

It's a pretty interesting read, actually, because Kazia actually posts there.


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## Swampie (May 26, 2010)

After reading everything I am quite sad, my old friend Gloria Davis has to be dead. 

I talked with her sometime last year, I am not good with time thought it might have been this year but now think it was back in November. She told me she was coming back to Florida.

I'd bet the woman she lived with, Martz, went bonkers when she heard Gloria was going to leave. Bet she shot Gloria's prize dogs and other favorites as a way to get back at her. Maybe she shot Gloria first perhaps when she returned and saw the dogs killed.

Whatever, I believe Gloria is dead. Not saying this woman did it just saying that's what I think happened, it couldn't be robbery Gloria was always broke. Not sure where Kazia figures into this either, has anyone heard from her lately?

Gloria had relationships with women for many years, sometimes like any relationships they can be very volatile when they come to an end. Add in some emotional instabilities and you can have something awful as a result. 

It's hard to imagine someone who cares about dogs killing them. But in awkward emotional states anything can happen.

What I don't want to try and imagine is what happened to Gloria's body if she was murdered. I hate to even think about it.

I hope the authorities are on top of this. I hope a team has gone over the area looking for Gloria.

She always tried her best to get by and be an honorable person, Daisy a female we got from Gloria was the most loving dog I've ever known. All the dogs I got from her remind me of Gloria, dam shame if this is the ending to her life.


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## Swampie (May 26, 2010)

Now that I think of it more I think Gloria and I last talked in Jan or Feb of 2010, she told me she was going to return to Florida soon.


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## Swampie (May 26, 2010)

is this thread still going? any new information???


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Swampie said:


> is this thread still going? any new information???


I wish there were information. I wish it because this is no way to end a life dedicated to dogs.. no matter the mistakes made on a personal level.


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## Swampie (May 26, 2010)

Thank you, sorry but I'm not interested in getting into a debate over right or wrong, I knew Gloria for over 25 years. Some of the stuff I read doesn't make any sense from the person I knew. 

Just wondered if anyone heard anything new on this case.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

Who said anything about debating?


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## Swampie (May 26, 2010)

there was a long thread on a mastiff forum and it really got pathetic, nothing but mudslinging, it got so I quit going there I was just looking for information, not to start anything. they ended up closing that thread.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

I think everyone here is now on the same page wondering, very seriously, what happened to Gloria. At things have unfolded I know that I, for one, am simply concerned. I did not know her and I am concerned as a fellow dog lover and human being.

If there was foul play, and it seems there was, the entire situation is even more disturbing. 

Please if you hear of anything yourself, let us know. If what I said sounded judgemental it was not meant as such.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Swampie, I've heard nothing as the Mastiff forum was my main source. I'm sure if there was any break in the case there would be another thread aboutit one of the Mastiff forums that are around.


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## Wilmoth619 (Jul 24, 2010)

I'm new to the forum, honestly I joined because of this specifically. This is one of the most terrible things I've ever heard. I haven't been able to bring myself to look at the photos. My mother has always been a breeder and up until about two years ago we bred Mastiffs, one of my favorite mastiffs came from Gloria, we lived in WVa but traveled just to meet her and her dogs. The dog we bought from Gloria, Chevy was a huge, absolutely beautiful bridle mastiff. He was an amazing dog and he produced gorgeous puppies! I remember when we went to TN to meet Gloria and her dogs, and I especially remember Max.. Chevy's sire. From what I understand Max was one of the dogs that was abandoned and to the best of my knowledge did not make it. These were beautiful dogs, not just Max and Chevy but all of them there were so many and she was so proud. I just can't understand. My heart is broken, I remember being so dissapointed to leave; and then traveling from TN to WV in our Ford Explorer with this huge dog hovering over the backseat slobbering  .. I am shocked, and have no idea how someone could do such a horrific thing. I pray that justice will be found.


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## mairs (Aug 28, 2010)

I joined because I was doing a search on Lionhearted mastiffs to see if I could find Gloria. I'm so horrified to find out what happened to her beautiful dogs!

I was talking to Gloria last spring about getting a Lionhearted puppy. She brought my attention to one owned by Kazia Burress Martz, a Dane breeder who got into mastiffs a bit. Kazia was supposedly going through cancer treatments at the time and needed to sell her puppy from her sire's litter with a dam of Gloria's. I thought she was either living with Gloria at the time or staying with her quite a bit. 

I never got them to send me his papers, and then Gloria never replied to my last request. I just had to put him down today. The autopsy showed a mass in his heart which caused him to throw blood clots and his back legs went out and one kidney stopped functioning because of the clots. He didn't suffer long though. He was a jolly boy up until yesterday, my only consolation. Knowing what happened to Gloria's dogs makes losing mine from Lionhearted even worse. I'm so sorry!

Mairs


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## overcast (Feb 11, 2011)

I am a new member only because I wanted to post about owning a Lionheated mastiff from Gloria. I bought Cosmo from Gloria in Tennessee fall of 2008. I just found out a few days ago that Cosmo has a brain tumor. He had been acting strange for a few weeks. It appears as though this brain tumor/cancer stuff unfortunately may be common in her line-and people need to know this. I am heartbroken that I will have to put my best friend down because of some woman's greediness and poor breeding. I should have known something was up, as she had just moved to TN. Also, she was breeding her dogs with Heather George's Magi mastiffs, so there might be some issues there. If anyone knows what I can do to report Gloria, then please tell me. And, just in case you are wondering, Cosmo will be 4 years old this fall and I have never bred him (thank goodness).


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

I don't know anything about Gloria.
I just wanted to say I'm sorry about your Cosmo. My sympathies with facing such a hard time with such a young dog.


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## Yvonne (Aug 6, 2010)

Years ago in Suffolk Va I knew a tibetin mastiff breeder who called her kennel lionhearted mastiffs but was not this womans name nor looked like her. She was a reputable shower and breeder and I do not understand how this woman has a kennel of same name different state. I really need to find out more about this.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

overcast said:


> I am a new member only because I wanted to post about owning a Lionheated mastiff from Gloria. I bought Cosmo from Gloria in Tennessee fall of 2008. I just found out a few days ago that Cosmo has a brain tumor. He had been acting strange for a few weeks. It appears as though this brain tumor/cancer stuff unfortunately may be common in her line-and people need to know this. I am heartbroken that I will have to put my best friend down because of some woman's greediness and poor breeding. I should have known something was up, as she had just moved to TN. Also, she was breeding her dogs with Heather George's Magi mastiffs, so there might be some issues there. If anyone knows what I can do to report Gloria, then please tell me. And, just in case you are wondering, Cosmo will be 4 years old this fall and I have never bred him (thank goodness).
> View attachment 23909


From everything we have heard on this forum it appears that there is no reporting of Gloria to be done. Fact is, it looks like Gloria no longer walks the earth among us...

I am very sorry for your misfortune with your dog. I know this is very wrenching for you.


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## Yvonne (Aug 6, 2010)

she was never found? or was she found deceased? I am so confused lol but I did find out there are two Lionhearted mastiff kennels one is this lady other is my friends tiems.


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

She was never found. Disappeared. Thoughts are that she is dead, but no one knows for sure. It's a sad mystery.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Yvonne said:


> she was never found? or was she found deceased? I am so confused lol but I did find out there are two Lionhearted mastiff kennels one is this lady other is my friends tiems.


It is believed she may have been murdered by the "caretaker" who reported as 'missing'. From my understanding most of her belongings as well as her dogs were on the property. 

I'm going to lock this thread now


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