PIERCE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Police removed 46 animals from a home in Pierce Township after many of them were found to be in poor health, and the home's owner now faces charges of cruelty to animals, according to a police report.
Ann Shatto faces a total of seven counts related to cruelty to animals, court records show.
The report says Pierce Township police received a complaint from a woman about a home on 9 Mile Tobasco Road. Officers visited the property on September 20, but could not contact the homeowner or get inside the residence because the property was fenced off. Police noted they could hear multiple dogs barking inside the home "accompanied by a strong odor of feces emanating from the residence."
When police were able to reach Shatto, she told them she works out of town but a caregiver for the animals could meet them at the home to provide officers a walk-through of the property.
Police returned to the home and met the caregiver, who said they did not feel comfortable allowing police inside without Shatto present. Shatto then informed officers she'd be home the following day.
Pierce Township police again returned to the home on September 21, after Shatto called police to notify them she'd returned home. However, once officers arrived, Shatto refused to allow them into her home. Police began working to obtain a search warrant, but Shatto ultimately relented and agreed to let police see the property.
"Once inside the residence, from the front door, I walked into an unfurnished room with dog crates stacked two high along the walls of the room," an officer wrote in the police report. "Off the main room were two smaller rooms, both containing dogs along the walls and stacked two high in most places."
Police said in total, they counted 40 dogs in crates inside the home, five of which appeared to be in poor health and were suffering from symptoms of a flea infestation; police said the five dogs were emaciated and had hair loss and skin irritation.
In the backyard, police saw five donkeys, one of which appeared to be in bad health; Shatto told police the ill-looking donkey was "at the end of its life and is around 20 years old," the police report says.
Police said Shatto agreed to take the six animals in poor health to a veterinarian within one week.
On September 27, Pierce Township Police Chief Paul Broxterman spoke with the Clermont County Prosecutor's Office; Prosecutor David Gast watched body camera footage of officers' visit to the home and suggested police execute a search warrant immediately "for the sake of the animals."
That same day, police did just that. Officers, along with animal rescue officials, visited the home to execute the search warrant.
"No one was at the building at the time of service," the police report says. "39 dogs, two cats and five donkeys were confiscated."
Police said while they were there, they noticed one of the donkeys lying on the ground, caught up in a fence, "in distress." Police freed it and it was taken to Fighting Chance Rescue in Hamersville where a vet immediately worked to treat the donkey. However, police said the donkey could not be saved and it was ultimately euthanized by the vet.
Police said the dogs and cats taken from the home are being housed at the Clermont County Animal Shelter.
As of Sept. 30, the animals were still being cared for by veterinary staff. Police said four of the dogs were emaciated, malnourished and battling skin conditions related to the flea infestation in the home.
"Marks from the kennels could also be observed on these dogs," the police report says.
A fifth dog was also underweight, struggling with symptoms from the flea infestation and had a terrible dental condition; officers noted that dog had to have a tooth extracted.
Shatto was arrested on Thursday, according to court records. Police say she could face more charges including zoning violations since Pierce Township does not permit animal shelters.
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