SPCA Rescues 200 Dogs From Animal Control Officer

Most Dogs Believed To Be Jack Russell Terriers, Rat Terriers

POSTED: 7:52 am CDT July 17, 2006

UPDATED: 12:47 pm CDT July 17, 2006

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Texas says it is taking temporary custody of more than 200 confined dogs from a suspected animal hoarder in Wise County who is also an animal control officer.

One of the SPCA's largest rescue efforts began at about 8 a.m. Monday in the 200 block of Rook Ramsey Road, located about 10 to 15 minutes northeast of Decatur. It is assisting the Wise County Sheriff's Department at the County's request, according to an SPCA news release issued Monday.

Video: 200 Dogs Rescued
Images: Hundreds Of Dogs Rescued
Raw Video: 200 Dogs Rescued

Most of the dogs believed to have been forced to live in crowded, filthy conditions are Jack Russell terriers and rat terriers. The remainder of the dogs are believed to be large mixed breeds. Other animals may be on the property as well, the SPCA said.

Some of the dogs were kept in small cages and others roamed the property. More may be living inside a residence, a storage building and a travel trailer on the 90-acre property, the SPCA said. The animal control officer is believed to be living inside the travel trailer.

"It's normally a compulsion. That compulsion usually is going to be driven out of compassion, they're wanting to do the right thing, and at some point in time the right thing turns into the wrong thing, and that's usually when the animals are not being cared for properly," SPCA spokesman said James Bias said.

The dogs will be taken to the SPCA’s Collin County animal shelter in the 8400 block of FM 720 in McKinney, where they will be examined by veterinarians, vaccinated, wormed, tested for heartworms and cared for until a custody hearing. The date of that hearing will be determined on Monday.

If the SPCA is awarded permanent custody, the dogs will be spayed or neutered and made available for adoption.

Wise County officials have repeatedly visited the property and issued warnings to improve the dogs’ living conditions.

The suspected animal hoarder faces possible charges of animal cruelty.