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Over 140 dogs were reportedly found dead inside the alleged home of an Ohio dog shelter’s founding operator on Friday.
The Portage Animal Protective League issued astatementon Facebook on Monday detailing the alleged discovery made inside the Mantua, Ohio, home reportedly belonging to the operator of Canine Lifeline Inc., a local animal rescue nonprofit organization.
The reported discovery led an agent from the Humane Investigations Department to search the residence.
The agent allegedly discovered 146 dead dogs “in varying stages of decay.”
“It was just horrendous,” neighbor Jon Collier told Cleveland’s local news channelWKYC-3. “The state of that house and everything that was in it was just, there’s not even words to describe it.”
None of the animals were found alive and many were “confined within their crates,” according to the nonprofit’s Facebook post.
The statement noted that necropsies —otherwise known as autopsies for animals — will be performed to determine the dogs’ causes of death.
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Portage Animal Protective League stated that no other details will be released at the time as the investigation is ongoing.
Canine Lifeline Inc., according to its website, is an all-volunteer organization founded in 2009. Their mission is to save adoptable dogs from being euthanized.
In astatementposted online, Canine Lifeline Inc. said they are “shocked, horrified and confused to learn of the devastating revelations.”
They said the founder reportedly collapsed in her home on June 2 leading first responders to her home, resulting in the discovery.
“Please know that the volunteers of Canine Lifeline are grieving this tragedy and are cooperating with the appropriate authorities,” the organization said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Portage Animal Protective League Humane Agent Holly Ebner athumaneofficer@portageapl.org.
source: people.com