MADISON TWP., Ohio — An arrest warrant has been issued for a woman after at least 30 dead dogs and 86 living dogs were discovered and seized at an animal shelter in Madison Township called Helping Hands for Furry Paws, according to the Butler County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office said adult dogs and puppies were being kept in different structures on two different properties in the township. After a search of both properties, sheriff's deputies and dog warden investigators found the dogs being kept in "the most horrible conditions they have ever seen," reads a press release from the sheriff's office.
One cage contained a mother dog with eight newborn puppies, police said.
The dogs that were found deceased were being kept in five different refrigerators and freezers on the two properties — some of which didn't work, according to the sheriff's office.
"One garage housed over 25 dogs in cages with no ventilation or air conditioning, with measured indoor temperatures of 89 degrees," the press release says.
The animals were housed together in cages alongside animal waste, with no access to food or water, the sheriff's office said.
According to the press release, the condition of the house itself was unlivable, with a strong odor inside.
The dogs that were found alive were removed and taken to the Animal Friends Humane Society of Butler County for evaluation and treatment.
The Butler County Sheriff's Office said the owner and operator of the rescue, Rhonda Murphy, will face "dozens of charges of neglect and cruelty to companion animals, both felony and misdemeanor," according to the press release. An arrest warrant has been issued but investigators said they have not been able to take her into custody because she is hospitalized.
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