"We literally doubled our dog population in one
day," Tom Koenig, director of Montgomery County Animal Services, told
ABC7. "It's remarkable to me."
On Thursday, December 31st, animal control officers
responded to a dog bite call at a home along the 13200 block of Glen Mill Road.
While on-site, the female homeowner acted hostile and was overall
uncooperative. Officers sensed a large number of dogs were inside her
three-bedroom home. They wrote a report and obtained a search warrant. Then
around 6:30 p.m. Friday, they returned, search warrant in tow, and discovered
the 66 dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds.
It took 16 hours for staff to transport, catalog, and
provide medical care to every animal over the holiday weekend. Although
specific treatment has not been disclosed, Koenig says it ran the gamut from
minor to major remedies.
Now, officers are constructing a criminal case. Was this a
dog fighting ring? A puppy mill? Or a homegrown animal rescue gone awry?
Investigators have their suspicions, but have not publicly identified the
alleged motive.
"The homeowner could certainly face charges, but that
has not been decided yet," Koenig added. "We'll charge as the law
provides and there will be due diligence in that regard."
The criminal evidence list is long. It includes all 66
dogs, which has prevented the animal services center from releasing photos or
pictures of the rescued animals.
"It was not healthy for them and we feel now they are
in a better situation with us than they were there," Koenig concluded.
Veterinarians hope all 66 dogs will one day be available
for public adoption, but many have a long road to recovery.
Related: Animal Control Officers Seized a Total of 66 Dogs from a Home in Rockville, Maryland
