(This story was updated to add new information and photos.)
A dog that was “stuck down into a couch” was among the 63 dogs and a child that were found in ‘deplorable’ conditions alleged inside an Adams County home, leading police to charge the married couple that lived in the home, according to police and the Adams County SPCA.
The rescue of 63 dogs was, according to the Adams County SPCA, the “largest single intake of animals in our 49-year history,” and resulted in the rescue being closed to the public until further notice.
Stephanie Derita, 49, and Ray Derita, 48, of the 1300 block of Old Harrisburg Road in Straban Township, are both facing charges in relation to the discovery made by Pennsylvania State Police on Feb. 1, 2025, according to records.
Ray Derita is facing felony charges of prohibited possession of a firearm and aggravated cruelty to animals that resulted in serious injury or death, along with misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child and neglecting the shelter or protection of animals, according to the documents filed on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.
Stephanie Derita is facing charges of misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child and neglecting the shelter or protection of animals, according to the documents filed on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.
Ray Derita was arraigned and released on unsecured $50,000 bail, according to court records, while Stephanie Derita was not taken into custody for the misdemeanors and is awaiting a preliminary hearing.
Domestic disturbance report leads to discovery of ‘deplorable’ conditions
According to the affidavits of probable cause filed by Pennsylvania State Police, officers were first called to the couple’s home on the 1300 block of Old Harrisburg Road in Straban Township around 1:16 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2025, for a report of a domestic disturbance.
“Immediately upon opening the door I observed the house to be in deplorable condition,” wrote the investigating state trooper in his criminal complaint against the pair, “with dog feces and urine covering the entirety of the floor.”
Officers then determined there had been no physical altercation, but that Stephanie Derita needed to be taken by EMS for other reasons, according to the affidavit.
“At that point in time,” the officer wrote in the affidavit, “my focus shifted to the living conditions of the house due to a juvenile living inside.”
Inside the home, officers observed Chihuahuas “running everywhere,” and a floor that was completely covered in feces, the documents state.
The feces were “several inches deep in some areas,” the officer wrote, and the conditions included the bathroom and kitchen in the home.
The pair’s 15-year-old child told officers that the only room in the house that was kept clean was the room of Stephanie Derita, as their “mom only cleans her room.”
“It was clear that the living conditions were not sanitary for a child or for the dogs in the house,” the state trooper wrote in the criminal complaint.
As troopers walked through the home, they discovered two firearms leaning against a wall in the kitchen, and the affidavit states Ray Derita was not permitted to have guns due to a prior burglary conviction.
Court records showed that in 1994, at the age of 17, Ray Derita had been charged as an adult for a spree of 37 burglaries in Carroll County, Md., where he was found guilty of two felony counts of burglary in 1995.
Adams County Children and Youth Services were called to the home, along with the Adams County SPCA, according to the affidavit.
Services were then put in place to “begin cleaning the house,” officers wrote in the documents, and during this time Ray expressed his “desire for the SPCA to take the majority of the dogs.”
On Feb. 7, 2025, the Adams County SPCA arrived to begin taking custody of the dogs, according to the police affidavit and the SPCA, finding that the dogs ranged in ages from three weeks to eight years of age.
Ray Derita allegedly told the SPCA staff that “things have just gotten out of control and they keep having puppies.”
Ray Derita allegedly told the SPCA staff that 37 dogs were in the home, but ultimately, upon a full count, the SPCA found 63 chihuahuas in the house.
While removing the dogs, SPCA staff discovered a chihuahua that was “stuck down in the cushions of the couch,” and had “been there for an extended period of time,” according to the documents.
In the SPCA’s account of that discovery, the SPCA said that they discovered a chihuahua that was between two couch cushions, wrapped in a blanket, and was wedged under a flip-down arm-rest on the couch. That dog was emaciated, dehydrated, having constant seizure, and was being eaten by bugs, the SPCA Said.
That chihuahua was still alive when it was discovered, the affidavit states, and was rushed to an animal hospital, where it “ultimately needed to be euthanized due to its injuries.”
In Stephanie Derita’s bedroom, the SPCA said, staff found a box-spring and mattress stuck to the floor due to being soaked in urine and feces. Inside of that box-spring, the SPCA staff discovered 15 puppies that had to be cut out to be removed.
In addition to those instances, several more dogs had to be cut out of other furniture in the home to be removed, the SPCA said.
No food or water was found in the home, according to the SPCA.
Six more chihuahuas were found to be emaciated, according to the complaint, and suffered injuries that were “considered life threatening.” The SPCA said that the majority of the female dogs are pregnant, including some as young as seven-months-old.
“All of the dogs are infested with parasites and require extensive veterinary care and rehabilitation,” said the SPCA.
On Feb. 7, 2025, 51 were seized, 12 were left with the owner, and one was euthanized due to its injuries, according to the affidavit. That day, the SPCA staff were able to convince the owners to sign over custody of the majority of the dogs, but did not sign over the remaining 12 at that time.
“The job of the Adams County SPCA is to do what is in the best interest of the animals, and getting as many dogs out of that house and signed over to us was our top priority,” the SPCA said in its statement.
“We knew we could obtain a search warrant to get the rest out but that would take time,” the SPCA said.
“We had NO intention of leaving any dog behind,” the statement read, “but we have to follow the law.”
With that in mind, the SPCA requested the judge have Ray Derita sign over custody of all 63 dogs to the Adams County SPCA.
“An agreement was made, and all 63 dogs were signed over the Adams County SPCA,” the release by the SPCA said.
Ray Derita is awaiting a Feb. 19, 2025 hearing, while Stephanie is awaiting an April 2, 2025 hearing, records show.
SPCA closed, donations needed
“This is the largest single intake of animals in our 49-year history, and we ask for the community’s patience and understanding as we navigate this challenging situation,” the SPCA said in their release.
The SPCA was closed to the public until further notice as the shelter staff handle the massive intake of dogs, the SPCA said.
Due to the extreme fear and unvaccinated status of the dogs, volunteers are not yet allowed to interact with the dogs at this stage in their recovery, the SPCA said, and recommended support comes in the form of supplies or monetary donations.
The SPCA said that they are currently in need of bath and beach towels, thin fleece blankets, wash cloths, flat sheets (no fitted sheets), and Purina One Skin & Coat formula dog food.
Any donations can be left outside of the front door of the SPCA at 11 Goldenville Road in Straban Township, and monetary donations are accepted on the Adams County SPCA website.
“Our staff is working tirelessly to provide care, despite multiple instances of being bitten while handling basic needs such as feeding and cleaning kennels,” said the SPCA.
“I want to stress that the chihuahuas are not up for adoption at this time,” the SPCA said, noting that they are allowing time for the dogs to decompress and adjust to structured routines before they proceed with medical care such as vaccinations and spaying or neutering.
“Due to the severity of their condition, the process of preparing them for adoption will take time,” the SPCA said.
Once the dogs become available for adoption, the SPCA said, they will be listed on their website.
“We can’t thank you enough for your understanding and support through this difficult time,” the SPCA expressed.
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