SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP -- Animal cruelty charges are expected after humane officers pulled more than a dozen dogs from the home in Lackawanna County.
A tip led humane officers to a home in Scott Township where investigators say 16 dogs were found Friday packed in cages. They also found a fish, a hedgehog, snakes, and a lizard.
Some of the pups are emaciated, and Griffin Pond Animal Shelter near Clarks Summit has taken them in despite having little room.
Jess Farrell is the director of Griffin Pond Animal Shelter. She showed Newswatch 16 a photo of a dog poking his paw and nose through a hole he chewed through a crate.
"Our new humane officer, Lisa Laurie, went to investigate the house with assistance of police in that township. There's at least 10 dogs in the garage," Farrell said. "One or two had actually crates without any bottoms on them so they were living on top of wire with no blankets no food or water."
Newswatch 16 caught up with Tony and Alexandria Rusnak as they were dropping off food at the shelter. They say it's frustrating when it appears people don't take care of their animals
"It really is a thought process. Talk to many pet owners before you get into it because it is a responsibility because you want to have a nice community with pets, too," said Tony Rusnak of Greenfield Township.
Already a full house, workers at the shelter say they will have to make room for the new dogs.
"Hopefully we will have our dog adoption area opened in the next two weeks which will really help the situation. Right now, we have a lot of makeshift office space and other rooms we are using to house the animals," Farrell added.
Humane officers plan to charge the owner with animal cruelty. The owner has not been identified at this time.
Until the legal process is sorted out, the dogs can only go to foster homes.