DALLAS; HUNT COUNTY, TEXAS – Friday, Jan. 5, 2024,  the SPCA of Texas, the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office and the Hunt County Constable’s Office (Precinct 1) removed 36 allegedly abandoned dogs from a property near Greenville, Texas. All the animals were transported to the SPCA of Texas’ Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center (Dealey Rescue Center) where they are being assessed and cared for by medical and behavioral staff. They will be evaluated for adoption or placement on a case-by-case basis.

A civil custody hearing will take place on Tuesday, January 16 at 1:30 p.m. at the Hunt County Precinct 1, Place 2 Justice of the Peace Courthouse located at 2801 Stuart St., Greenville, TX, 75401, the Honorable Judge Sheila Linden presiding.

The SPCA of Texas became involved in the case of alleged animal cruelty after receiving a complaint about dogs living in inhumane conditions on the property. At approximately 10 a.m., Jan. 4, 2024, Inv. Randi Dykes and Inv. Courtney Burns, both with the SPCA of Texas, responded to the complaint.

There were 5-6 makeshift enclosures on the perimeter of the property, most of which had 3-5 dogs in each one with a total of 15 dogs confined outside. The conditions in the pens were poor, with standing water and mud. The dogs had access to dirty water and homemade shelters and were shivering and wet from standing in the mud and cold. The dogs had overgrown toenails and distended abdomens that could be consistent with parasite infestation. One dog had extremely matted fur that resembled dreadlocks on its hind end. Intact males and females were housed together, suggesting intentional breeding.

Inv. Burns and Inv. Dykes located a motorhome on the property. They attempted to make contact with the owner by knocking but did not receive a response. There was a powerful odor of urine and feces emanating from the inside of the motorhome. Inv. Burns viewed the inside of the motorhome through a small window and saw 10-30 terrier type dogs inside.

Burns determined that the dogs on this property were being cruelly confined to inhumane conditions and were not having their medical and basic care needs met; that without urgent intervention and care these animals might deteriorate. She applied for a civil seizure warrant to remove the animals, as well as a search warrant to enter the motorhome. The warrants were signed the same day, and the animal removal was scheduled the following day.

On the morning of Jan. 5, 2023, Inv. Burns, the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit, Hunt County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hunt County Constable’s Office (Precinct 1) executed search and seizure warrants on the property. They seized a total of 36 dogs—15 were removed from the pens outside and 21 were removed from the inside of the motorhome.

The conditions inside the motorhome were deplorable and all surfaces were saturated with urine and feces. The SPCA of Texas measured the ammonia level to be 110 parts per million (ppm) inside of the home. For a point of reference, short-term exposure to any ammonia level over 20 ppm or long-term exposure to any level over 12 ppm can cause health problems in humans.

The dogs were transported to the SPCA of Texas’ facility in Dallas for medical evaluations and care.

To support the SPCA of Texas’ efforts to rescue, heal and find homes for animals from cases of cruelty and neglect, please visit www.spca.org/give.