A case of suspected animal abuse is underway in Sullivan County.
On Friday, state police and state dog wardens searched a home in Colley Township, near Dushore. Troopers said they found 21 dead dogs. Five surviving dogs were taken to the SPCA in Luzerne County.
"They were scared, they were petrified, and that always breaks your heart to see a petrified dog," said Vince Sweeney, executive director of the SPCA near Wilkes-Barre.
Workers said the dogs have wounds that resulted from their living conditions. They also have worms. The dogs are now being nursed back to health.
"It's just a feeling you can't explain," said SPCA worker Vicki Cooper. "Your heart just goes out to the animals who need and deserve love."
The dogs were discovered Friday at a home near Dushore in Sullivan County. Neighbors said they saw state police, state dog wardens and vehicles at the end of last week. They said they have not seen the woman who lives in the home since then.
In November, 1997 humane officers removed several dead and malnourished dogs from the same property. The owner was nowhere to be found.
The SPCA in Plains Township is caring for five dogs taken from the home in the latest incident. Police said their investigation is continuing. The dogs are not yet available for adoption.
On Monday evening, the woman who said she is the owner of the dogs contacted Newswatch 16. Lauren Wolf said she tried hard to keep up with caring for the dogs. She said she got sick last year, which made it difficult to care for the dogs. She also said that the state made new laws which made it too expensive for her to keep her kennel.
Wolf said at one point last year, she had 80 dogs at her house. She admitted she had to put down some of the dogs because the kennel was getting too big and the state demanded she get rid of some of the animals.
According to Wolf, 27 living dogs were taken from the house in Sullivan County on Friday. Newswatch 16 is only aware of the five dogs that were taken to the Luuzerne County SPCA. Wolf said she did not know where the other dogs are.
On Friday, state police and state dog wardens searched a home in Colley Township, near Dushore. Troopers said they found 21 dead dogs. Five surviving dogs were taken to the SPCA in Luzerne County.
"They were scared, they were petrified, and that always breaks your heart to see a petrified dog," said Vince Sweeney, executive director of the SPCA near Wilkes-Barre.
Workers said the dogs have wounds that resulted from their living conditions. They also have worms. The dogs are now being nursed back to health.
"It's just a feeling you can't explain," said SPCA worker Vicki Cooper. "Your heart just goes out to the animals who need and deserve love."
The dogs were discovered Friday at a home near Dushore in Sullivan County. Neighbors said they saw state police, state dog wardens and vehicles at the end of last week. They said they have not seen the woman who lives in the home since then.
In November, 1997 humane officers removed several dead and malnourished dogs from the same property. The owner was nowhere to be found.
The SPCA in Plains Township is caring for five dogs taken from the home in the latest incident. Police said their investigation is continuing. The dogs are not yet available for adoption.
On Monday evening, the woman who said she is the owner of the dogs contacted Newswatch 16. Lauren Wolf said she tried hard to keep up with caring for the dogs. She said she got sick last year, which made it difficult to care for the dogs. She also said that the state made new laws which made it too expensive for her to keep her kennel.
Wolf said at one point last year, she had 80 dogs at her house. She admitted she had to put down some of the dogs because the kennel was getting too big and the state demanded she get rid of some of the animals.
According to Wolf, 27 living dogs were taken from the house in Sullivan County on Friday. Newswatch 16 is only aware of the five dogs that were taken to the Luuzerne County SPCA. Wolf said she did not know where the other dogs are.
