Tri-State animal rescue scrambling after recovering over 70 dogs

LOVELAND, Ohio (WXIX) - An animal shelter in Loveland is scrambling after it took in over 70 dogs from an alleged high-volume puppy mill, employees say.

Paws for Miles said they took in dozens of dogs from a Holmes County animal breeder. Employees said they’re working with neighboring rescues and fosters to find stable homes and take care of the animals, but it won’t be easy.

“We are a foster-based rescue,” Paws for Miles board member Aaron Jones said. “This is not what we want, but this is what the dogs need.”

Jones said the dogs belonged to an Amish breeder. Over half of the dogs were of adult age and had been living in their own feces and blood for years.

“This is livestock for these people, they aren’t pets,” Jones said. “These dogs live on top of chicken wire. They were outside their fur all matted and they stunk really bad. This is painful for the dogs.”

The breeder called the shelter himself because he was scheduled to be inspected by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

“This is just a small bit of what’s going on across the country,” Jones said. “Ohio is one of the worst states and it’s not regulated enough.”

Twenty of the dogs will go to the Myles Ahead Animal Sanctuary and Rescue in Morrow who agreed to help.

“This is not breeding,” Myles Ahead Director Janel Hemrick said. “This is money. This is money hunger and these dogs don’t deserve it.”

Anyone interested in fostering or adopting a dog is encouraged to reach out to the staff at Paws for Miles in Loveland and Myles Ahead in Morrow.

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