TAMPA, Fla. -- One by one, puppies are being brought in and examined at Hillsborough County Pet Resources.
“I’ve seen dental disease, skin issues," said Pet Resources Chief Veterinarian Mallory Offner.
“Some of the ones we looked at had hardly any teeth," said Animal Control Director Roger Mills.
“Eye infections, chronic dry eyes, potentially even corneal ulcers," said Offner.
Investigators say they got several customer complaints about Trish’s All Breeds Pet Grooming and Champion Sired Puppies for Sales.
Officials say the dogs were living in filth and overcrowded.
“You might see 20 or 30 dogs in a cage that should only have one or two," said Pet Resources Department Director Scott Trebatoski.
They gave the business a chance to fix problems but when they didn’t, Pet Resources went to a judge who ordered the removal of all the dogs and said the owner can longer operate.
Monday, animal control found some of the 300-plus dogs in critical condition and one puppy dead.
Through all this, investigators have never been able to find the business owner who could eventually face charges.
“It’s very frustrating when we are trying to accomplish certain tasks, to accomplish things to get done that we directed them to do and they don’t happen and we can’t even get the owner to come forth," Mills.
The Pet Resources shelter is already over capacity so most of the dogs seized will have to go to an emergency shelter at a separate facility.
None of them can be adopted until the investigation is finished.
