As a major dog cruelty investigation in Butler County enters a fourth day, the community response to the needs of scores of dogs has been overwhelming, according to a longtime animal care facility. One look at the faces of the rescued animals, you can’t help but wonder what they would say about their previous living conditions.The dogs are only three days removed from two properties in Madison Township, where almost three-dozen of them were found dead in freezers.Another 90 were rescued from what authorities described as an unsanitary, unhealthy environment.An arrest warrant was issued for Rhonda Murphy, who ran a rescue operation known as Helping Hands for Furry Paws, according to a press release from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.The dogs were found in what was called by investigators “the most horrible conditions” on the two properties.In the release, the Sheriff’s office said, “One garage housed over 25 dogs in cages with no ventilation or air conditioning, with measured indoor temperatures of 89 degrees.”According to the press statement, Murphy will face “dozens of charges of neglect and cruelty to companion animals, both felony and misdemeanor.”The dogs that were rescued from Murphy’s place were taken to Animal Friends Humane Society which has had the busiest three days in its 71 year history.The woman who runs the agency has had to invent space. A small conference room is now a canine maternity ward. Four of the dogs are nursing puppies. There were already 110 dogs there before Thursday’s influx of emergency rescue. “And so, this almost doubled our population of animals and we ended up taking 90 dogs in one day”, said Anna Friedman, the Director.Hamilton-area heartstrings have been touched. Donated goods that arrived today lined a hallway. A palette full of bagged dog food was stacked. There were shelves full of puppy pads and other needed items.Some people stopped by to make monetary contributions, others to volunteer their time.”Just all the things,” recounted Friedman.”People have been working into the wee hours. Some of them in a voluntary capacity, helping to make sure everybody’s cleaned and fed and all of those things. So, although it’s certainly not ideal, we are making the best of it and feeling a lot of love from the community.”Some of the dogs are too skittish to show much of themselves. All of them are on what’s known as a court hold.”We are not able to place any of them up for adoption or officially transfer them to other rescue groups until that court hold hopefully is over”, Friedman explained.”We have been able to temporarily transfer some of them to our trusted foster homes with the understanding obviously that we don’t know their outcome yet. But the bulk of them are still here.”You could put your name on a wait list, but Friedman would welcome it if you chose one of the dogs already here.”That helps alleviate, you know, the burden on space and also on our staff, and just kind of bring that volume, in-shelter volume of the animals down”, she told us.Staff and volunteers are taking the dogs for walks. Cleaned and fed, they’re slowly adjusting to their new digs.And although it’s not a permanent home, one could reasonably assume it’s undoubtedly preferred.
As a major dog cruelty investigation in Butler County enters a fourth day, the community response to the needs of scores of dogs has been overwhelming, according to a longtime animal care facility.
One look at the faces of the rescued animals, you can’t help but wonder what they would say about their previous living conditions.
The dogs are only three days removed from two properties in Madison Township, where almost three-dozen of them were found dead in freezers.
Another 90 were rescued from what authorities described as an unsanitary, unhealthy environment.
An arrest warrant was issued for Rhonda Murphy, who ran a rescue operation known as Helping Hands for Furry Paws, according to a press release from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.
The dogs were found in what was called by investigators “the most horrible conditions” on the two properties.
In the release, the Sheriff’s office said, “One garage housed over 25 dogs in cages with no ventilation or air conditioning, with measured indoor temperatures of 89 degrees.”
According to the press statement, Murphy will face “dozens of charges of neglect and cruelty to companion animals, both felony and misdemeanor.”
The dogs that were rescued from Murphy’s place were taken to Animal Friends Humane Society which has had the busiest three days in its 71 year history.
The woman who runs the agency has had to invent space. A small conference room is now a canine maternity ward.
Four of the dogs are nursing puppies. There were already 110 dogs there before Thursday’s influx of emergency rescue.
“And so, this almost doubled our population of animals and we ended up taking 90 dogs in one day”, said Anna Friedman, the Director.
Hamilton-area heartstrings have been touched. Donated goods that arrived today lined a hallway. A palette full of bagged dog food was stacked. There were shelves full of puppy pads and other needed items.
Some people stopped by to make monetary contributions, others to volunteer their time.
“Just all the things,” recounted Friedman.
“People have been working into the wee hours. Some of them in a voluntary capacity, helping to make sure everybody’s cleaned and fed and all of those things. So, although it’s certainly not ideal, we are making the best of it and feeling a lot of love from the community.”
Some of the dogs are too skittish to show much of themselves. All of them are on what’s known as a court hold.
“We are not able to place any of them up for adoption or officially transfer them to other rescue groups until that court hold hopefully is over”, Friedman explained.
“We have been able to temporarily transfer some of them to our trusted foster homes with the understanding obviously that we don’t know their outcome yet. But the bulk of them are still here.”
You could put your name on a wait list, but Friedman would welcome it if you chose one of the dogs already here.
“That helps alleviate, you know, the burden on space and also on our staff, and just kind of bring that volume, in-shelter volume of the animals down”, she told us.
Staff and volunteers are taking the dogs for walks. Cleaned and fed, they’re slowly adjusting to their new digs.
And although it’s not a permanent home, one could reasonably assume it’s undoubtedly preferred.
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