Officer says 33 dogs seized from suspected puppy mill

One of the basset hound pups taken from the Rice Township house laps up water at the animal shelter. Officials said the dogs seemed to have been fed but had no water in their bowls. JETTA FRASER Enlarge

Basset hound puppies, as well as a Saint Bernard and other dogs, are resting at the Humane Society, which is seeking foster homes that are interested in adopting the animals. JETTA FRASER Enlarge

FREMONT - A Sandusky County Humane Society officer responding to a complaint about pigs on the loose at a Rice Township property spotted something more alarming: 33 dogs inside the house living in filth.

"Some were in cages, some were in fenced circles, and they were laying in their own feces and urine," Denny Hammond, the officer, said.

The dogs, which included 15 basset hound pups and four Pomeranian puppies, were removed from a Fangboner Road home occupied by Hoy Compton, 33, and Steve Harris, 47, Friday afternoon and taken to the humane society's shelter in Fremont. Mr. Hammond said he expects to file some 35 animal cruelty and neglect charges against the owners as soon as tomorrow in Sandusky County Court.

The alleged puppy mill was discovered Friday afternoon when a neighbor called to report pigs on the loose in the yard.

Mr. Hammond said that after he rounded up the pot-bellied pigs, he knocked on the door and saw the dogs and puppies through the windows. No one was home at the time so he obtained a search warrant to remove the canines.

"I would say he was doing backyard breeding," Mr. Hammond said. "I would call it a small puppy mill."

Six children who arrived home from school just before the house was searched were taken by Sandusky County sheriff's deputies to a friend's house. Both the county health department and children's services were called in to investigate.

Mr. Hammond said that in addition to the 33 dogs and two tropical birds removed from the house and attached garage, three horses and six pot-bellied pigs were taken to another farm with the cooperation of the owner.

"They were not malnourished, but the stalls were just filthy," he said.

Rescue workers said much the same about the dogs, which included a Saint Bernard and a Chihuahua, along with the basset hounds and Pomeranians.

Calling the puppies "darling," Joanne McDowell, president of the humane society's board, said the dogs appeared to have been fed but were dirty and apparently never went outdoors.

"When Denny found them, they had no water in any of their bowls and they drank and drank and drank," Mrs. McDowell said. "They were pretty much living in their feces, and they had never been outside. They're terrified of outside so none of the adult [dogs] are potty-trained and when the girls take them out they just freak out."

A Saint Bernard that had been kept in a cage that was not much bigger than itself quickly ran into a cage when the dogs arrived at the shelter Friday, Mrs. McDowell said.

Crystal Rodriguez, assistant manager at the humane society shelter on Port Clinton Road, said two adult female basset hounds were being taken to a veterinarian because their teats were hanging to the floor.

One had a litter of seven, the other had eight.

"The way we see it she's had so many litters, she hasn't had time to recover," Ms. Rodriguez said. "The one is worse than the other one."

The Humane Society is looking for volunteers to walk the dogs and help get them accustomed to being on a leash and going outdoors to get them ready for adoption, if the court so orders.

Mrs. McDowell said the shelter had eight dogs and about 100 cats when the dogs were brought in late Friday.

She said that before any are placed in foster homes, she would like to see them matched with foster homes interested in adopting the dogs.

To make a monetary donation or volunteer to help walk the dogs, contact the Humane Society of Sandusky County, 419-334-4517.

Contact Jennifer Feehan

at jfeehan@theblade.com

or 419-724-6129