Quote:
January 15, 2009
V'land cops say he -- or she -- is phony vet
By TIM ZATZARINY Jr. The Daily Journal
VINELAND -- A phony, cross-dressing veterinarian might have duped dozens of pet owners throughout South Jersey and beyond, police said.
To exotic-pet lovers in the area, Dr. Danielle Smith was a knowledgeable, caring veterinarian who made house calls, gave pet inoculations and also operated an animal rescue for rare birds, snakes and lizards.
But authorities say Smith is really a 32-year-old alleged con man named Daniel C. Tyce, who dressed as a woman and possibly scammed pet lovers across the region out of thousands of dollars, even putting phony collection cans -- for a rescue that didn't exist -- in area stores.
Police learned of Tyce's phony animal rescue and bogus veterinary business after a Vineland woman who had used his services for her pets alerted them, according to Vineland police Detective Lt. Thomas Ulrich.
Vineland police arrested Tyce on Friday and charged him with practicing medicine without a license, a third degree offense punishable by three to five years in state prison. He had been held in Atlantic County Jail on unrelated charges and was transferred to Cumberland County Jail, where he was held on $10,000 bail.
Additional charges in the current investigation are pending, Ulrich said.
For about two years, Tyce and another man ran a business called "South Jersey Small Animal Rescue," which Tyce claimed was a nonprofit. Authorities said the business actually was not a registered nonprofit, nor was it an above-board operation.
Through the Web site, Tyce solicited donations and offered "rescued" reptiles, ferrets, birds and other animals for adoption.
"The South Jersey Small Animal Rescue is devoted to the safety, welfare, health and care of exotic pets!!!" the Web site reads.
In its staff directory, the Web site lists Danielle Smith as its veterinarian, director, founder and investigator.
"Smith" is described on the site as "a 30 something year old graduate" of the University of Pennsylvania, holding a "bachelor's degree in life science" and a doctorate of veterinary medicine. The site goes on to list "Smith's" qualifications and accomplishments, and hails her as "a true hero for the animal community as a whole."
Tyce, posing as Smith, dressed in women's clothing and sometimes wore an official-looking police-style uniform complete with a badge, handcuffs, pepper spray and a police baton, according to police and the woman who turned Tyce in. He also drove a white Jeep Cherokee with "Animal Cruelty Investigations" printed on the side.
All this was as phony as a sheep in wolf's clothing, authorities allege.
Vineland police and officers from the state Division of Fish and Wildlife served a search warrant at Tyce's apartment in Atlantic City -- where his phony business apparently was based -- last week, Ulrich said. There, they found no animals, but seized computer equipment, he said.
Ulrich said no charges have been filed against Sam Smith, the man identified as Tyce's assistant.
A call to the phone number listed on the Web site was not returned Wednesday.
Andrea Cappellucci, the Vineland woman who contacted police about Tyce, said she was impressed when she first met Tyce through his Web site last fall.
Cappellucci, 46, was looking for someone to care for her two sugar gliders, small marsupials native to Australia, while she was in Germany for an extended stay.
Tyce agreed to take the pets, and Cappellucci said Tyce also later cared for her Labrador retriever and pet rabbit.
"She dressed like a woman, she talked like a woman," Cappellucci said, referring to Tyce's alter ego.
Although her family had their doubts about the doctor, "I was just so excited to be around someone who deals with exotic animals," Cappellucci recalled in an interview Wednesday.
She estimates she gave the person she thought was a qualified veterinarian about $1,000 between September and late December, the last time the two spoke.
Cappellucci said she now believes Tyce actually sold on Craigslist the animals he "rescued" posing as Smith.
Ulrich said that aspect of the case remains under investigation.
Cappellucci started having her own doubts about "Smith" and did some sleuthing of her own. She learned "Smith" was not a licensed veterinarian.
Cappellucci contacted Vineland police Dec. 24.
Three days later, she received a call from "Smith."
"Smith" said she had admitted herself to the psychiatric unit of an Atlantic County hospital.
Cappellucci said she later learned this was one of many lies Tyce had told her during the time they knew each other.
"She's very smart," Cappellucci said, still referring to Smith. "She's not a stupid man, or woman, or whatever she is."
Additional Facts
HOW TO HELP
Police want to speak with anyone who had contact with Daniel C. Tyce or his business, South Jersey Small Animal Rescue, over the past two years. They believe Tyce might have had contact with people throughout New Jersey and possibly Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York. Anyone with information is asked to call Vineland police Detective John Winquist at (856) 691-4111, ext. 4316, or their local police department.
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V'land cops say he -- or she -- is phony vet
By TIM ZATZARINY Jr. The Daily Journal
VINELAND -- A phony, cross-dressing veterinarian might have duped dozens of pet owners throughout South Jersey and beyond, police said.
To exotic-pet lovers in the area, Dr. Danielle Smith was a knowledgeable, caring veterinarian who made house calls, gave pet inoculations and also operated an animal rescue for rare birds, snakes and lizards.
But authorities say Smith is really a 32-year-old alleged con man named Daniel C. Tyce, who dressed as a woman and possibly scammed pet lovers across the region out of thousands of dollars, even putting phony collection cans -- for a rescue that didn't exist -- in area stores.
Police learned of Tyce's phony animal rescue and bogus veterinary business after a Vineland woman who had used his services for her pets alerted them, according to Vineland police Detective Lt. Thomas Ulrich.
Vineland police arrested Tyce on Friday and charged him with practicing medicine without a license, a third degree offense punishable by three to five years in state prison. He had been held in Atlantic County Jail on unrelated charges and was transferred to Cumberland County Jail, where he was held on $10,000 bail.
Additional charges in the current investigation are pending, Ulrich said.
For about two years, Tyce and another man ran a business called "South Jersey Small Animal Rescue," which Tyce claimed was a nonprofit. Authorities said the business actually was not a registered nonprofit, nor was it an above-board operation.
Through the Web site, Tyce solicited donations and offered "rescued" reptiles, ferrets, birds and other animals for adoption.
"The South Jersey Small Animal Rescue is devoted to the safety, welfare, health and care of exotic pets!!!" the Web site reads.
In its staff directory, the Web site lists Danielle Smith as its veterinarian, director, founder and investigator.
"Smith" is described on the site as "a 30 something year old graduate" of the University of Pennsylvania, holding a "bachelor's degree in life science" and a doctorate of veterinary medicine. The site goes on to list "Smith's" qualifications and accomplishments, and hails her as "a true hero for the animal community as a whole."
Tyce, posing as Smith, dressed in women's clothing and sometimes wore an official-looking police-style uniform complete with a badge, handcuffs, pepper spray and a police baton, according to police and the woman who turned Tyce in. He also drove a white Jeep Cherokee with "Animal Cruelty Investigations" printed on the side.
All this was as phony as a sheep in wolf's clothing, authorities allege.
Vineland police and officers from the state Division of Fish and Wildlife served a search warrant at Tyce's apartment in Atlantic City -- where his phony business apparently was based -- last week, Ulrich said. There, they found no animals, but seized computer equipment, he said.
Ulrich said no charges have been filed against Sam Smith, the man identified as Tyce's assistant.
A call to the phone number listed on the Web site was not returned Wednesday.
Andrea Cappellucci, the Vineland woman who contacted police about Tyce, said she was impressed when she first met Tyce through his Web site last fall.
Cappellucci, 46, was looking for someone to care for her two sugar gliders, small marsupials native to Australia, while she was in Germany for an extended stay.
Tyce agreed to take the pets, and Cappellucci said Tyce also later cared for her Labrador retriever and pet rabbit.
"She dressed like a woman, she talked like a woman," Cappellucci said, referring to Tyce's alter ego.
Although her family had their doubts about the doctor, "I was just so excited to be around someone who deals with exotic animals," Cappellucci recalled in an interview Wednesday.
She estimates she gave the person she thought was a qualified veterinarian about $1,000 between September and late December, the last time the two spoke.
Cappellucci said she now believes Tyce actually sold on Craigslist the animals he "rescued" posing as Smith.
Ulrich said that aspect of the case remains under investigation.
Cappellucci started having her own doubts about "Smith" and did some sleuthing of her own. She learned "Smith" was not a licensed veterinarian.
Cappellucci contacted Vineland police Dec. 24.
Three days later, she received a call from "Smith."
"Smith" said she had admitted herself to the psychiatric unit of an Atlantic County hospital.
Cappellucci said she later learned this was one of many lies Tyce had told her during the time they knew each other.
"She's very smart," Cappellucci said, still referring to Smith. "She's not a stupid man, or woman, or whatever she is."
Additional Facts
HOW TO HELP
Police want to speak with anyone who had contact with Daniel C. Tyce or his business, South Jersey Small Animal Rescue, over the past two years. They believe Tyce might have had contact with people throughout New Jersey and possibly Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York. Anyone with information is asked to call Vineland police Detective John Winquist at (856) 691-4111, ext. 4316, or their local police department.
Source Here
