Investigators arrived at the home on the 500 block of Napoleon Street in Johnstown that day after a being called in on a wellness check on the owner. Officials with the Humane Society of Cambria County say they were forced to close due to the large intake of animals, but have now reopened today.
Investigators say that a concerned neighbor called the police on Tuesday to conduct a wellness check at a home on the 500 block of Napoleon Street in Johnstown after the 74-year-old owner was not seen for several days.
Joseph Hribar with the Cambria County Coroner’s office said that he was called to the scene shortly after.
“At that point, our office was notified, we went to respond and investigate the death. And from our findings up until this point, we do believe the death appears to be of natural causes. The unique part about it was that there was 30 dogs found in that residence, which animal authorities were notified,
From there, officials with the Cambria County Humane Society and Animal Response Team visited the home to rescue the dogs in what they say was a chaotic and overwhelming situation.
“This was our first condition like this since I joined in 2018,” said Animal Response Team Coordinator James Boring.
Officials that were on scene said that the situation appeared to be “backyard breeding,” which is typically the unlicensed and irresponsible breeding of dogs for profit. They said that they believe the dogs were left alone for several days and added that while they appear to be healthy overall, there are some concerns.
Kinlee Whited with the Humane Society of Cambria County said, “For the most part, a lot of them are covered in fleas. A lot of them have some skin concerns and we’re obviously concerned with their vaccine history and their vetting to begin with. If I had to guess, I would assume they haven’t ever been to a vet.”
Because of the intake of 30 new dogs at once, from newborns to adults, shelter officials say they temporarily shut down the building to find space for all the animals. They say the shelter is now open but extremely over capacity, currently housing 180 pets.
“We closed because we didn’t know exactly where we were going to put all the animals and it had to be all staff on hand to go and get crates and be able to start getting everything comfortable and ready for the animals we brought in”
Shelter officials say the dogs should start becoming available for adoption within the next few weeks. Had the dogs not been found when they were, things could’ve been a lot worse. Investigators say they want to remind community members of the importance of welfare checks.
“Even just one animal within the residence not being able to be cared for, a call in and people checking on each other can prevent some unfortunate things from happening.”
If you’re interested in making a donation to the Humane Society of Cambria County, visit their website at HumaneCambria.org/Donate.
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