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Thirty two dogs taken from North Side home
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Humane agents are in need of help after seizing 32 dogs from a North Side home Friday evening.
The dogs, almost all small breeds, were taken from a home in the 200 block of Alameda Avenue about 6:30 p.m. after city police responded to a tip that the people living there did not have running water, a violation of city ordinances.
Police reports said that the house was a mess on the outside, with high grass and junk in the yard and a rotted roof but the homeowner, David Doll, 67, would not let police inside. As officers were checking the home, they could hear several dogs barking and smell urine and feces coming from inside, so they called humane agents from Animal Charity as well as the Mahoning County Dog
Warden.
Stefanie Boggs, an agent with Animal Charity, said the dogs were matted and infested with fleas. She said Doll admitted having six dogs of his own and others that belonged to his son, but he could not produce the necessary papers for them. When Doll was told by the assistant dog warden, Kevin Halquist, the amount in fees he would have to pay for the dogs he decided to give the dogs to authorities.
Boggs said she knew there were a lot of dogs inside, but she was still stunned as Doll kept bringing dogs out of the house one by one.
“I think even he was surprised by how many he had,” Boggs said.
Boggs said the conditions and stench were awful.
“The stench was just...” Boggs said, but she could not finish.
Shay Bolash, executive director of Animal Charity, said the dogs were an assortment of poodles, Yorkies, Lhasa Apsos, schnauzers and other assorted mixed breeds. Bolash said 13 of the dogs were males and 26 were adults.
Bolash said 20 of the dogs have health issues such as severely matted fur, fleas or dental problems.
Friday’s seizure is the most since more than 100 dogs – also mostly Yorkies – were taken from a North Benton woman in January 2014 who was purported to be running a puppy mill.
Bolash said workers and volunteers were on hand Friday evening to help get the dogs in shape to stay at Animal Charity’s Market Street facility. She said they were there until after 11 p.m.
“We had an assembly line,” Bolash said.
Bolash said the dogs are friendly and are a lot more sociable than the dogs that were taken from North Benton. Bolash said it took about four months for those dogs to be adopted, and she expects a similar timetable with these dogs because small breeds are popular.
“I think they’re going to fly out of here,” Bolash said.
Bolash said most of the dogs are not house trained because Doll did not take them outside much, if at all.
Animal Charity could use supplies such as dog food, puppy food and blankets as well as volunteers. Supplies can be dropped off at 4140 Market St., Boardman, or at the Canfield facility at 525 W. Main St. Anyone wishing to volunteer can go to either location, fill out an application and probably begin their duties that day, Bolash said.
Charges are pending against Doll, reports said. Municipal court records show he was cited for seven counts of failure to register a dog kennel in July. He pleaded guilty to one count and was fined, according to court records.
Boggs said she had been to the house in the summer but Doll would not let agents in at that time, so the case was turned over to the county dog warden’s office, which filed the charges.