Officials remove 63 dogs from shelter

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) - Animal Control officials in Muncie removed 63 dogs from a building used as a rescue shelter Thursday.

Phil Peckinpaugh, Superintendent for Muncie’s Animal Care and Services Department, said officers visited the operation and determined the dogs were living in unfit conditions.

He wouldn’t go into details, but said the owners agreed to give the animals up. In exchange, he said he wouldn’t press charges.

"So we brought the dogs here (to the Muncie Animal Shelter) and now we're assessing them with veterinarians and volunteers and hoping to move them into permanent homes and rescues soon," he said.

Peckinpaugh said some of the dogs appeared to be healthy, but others were sick.

The people who live next door said they're surprised.

“I don't have a problem with that operation," said Ferrell Conner.

He and his wife said they were invited over months ago.

“When I went downstairs and saw the cages, they were pretty clean - I mean for having dogs in and out,” said Ferrell.

“It was just like a shelter,” added Deeann.

Thursday, Animal Control disagreed.

"I think these people started with the best of intentions and it's really easy to get overwhelmed and just not letting yourself get to that level or something like this will happen. And you can do a lot more harm than good,” said Peckinpaugh. “And that's exactly what happened here."

The dogs will be assessed and will then go up for adoption.

Peckinpaugh said the shelter that gave up the dogs Thursday isn’t allowed to rescue anymore because it doesn’t have a permit with the county to do so.

24-Hour News 8 tried contacting the operation's owners but wasn’t able to speak with them.