HUNTINGTON — Huntington police officers rescued five dogs from squalor Tuesday morning when they entered a rotting residence on 11th Avenue.

Officials visited the second-floor residence in the 600 block of 11th Avenue on Tuesday morning after a complaint from a concerned citizen, said Captain Mike Albers of the Huntington Police Department.

“There were carcasses of at least three deceased animals. I could not determine just by looking at them what they were,” Albers said. 

The rescued dogs were Shetland sheep dogs, according to the citizen who made the complaint, Jacqueline Muth. Muth visited the house on Tuesday alongside the fire marshal, health department and Cabell-Wayne animal control officer.

“They were in the most God awful conditions. They were covered in their own filth,” Muth said of the dogs found alive.

The animals’ owner was contacted by Cabell-Wayne Animal Control authorities and the dogs were turned over to the shelter, according to Animal Control Officer Steve Hofmeister.

Hofmeister said he is not sure anyone was actually living in the residence at the time. 
 

“The house was just filthy,” he said. 

He said Animal Control was not pursuing animal cruelty charges but was focused on finding the animals homes at this time.

Albers said Huntington police were evaluating the case and would talk with the prosecuting attorney about possible charges against the woman believed to own the residence.

“The entire second floor of this building was covered in a huge amount of feces, and it was apparent that (the animals) had been living in this building under these conditions for probably several years,” Albers said. “There was so much waste on the second floor that the ceiling, the plaster had begun to fall in on the first floor.” 

Fire Marshal Dave Bias said the case would be taken before the Unsafe Buildings Commission on Thursday. He said the Cabell-Huntington Health Department also would address issues that day.

Bias said a collapsing roof and unsanitary conditions are among the issues to be addressed before the commission.

Muth said she hopes this revelation will encourage area residents to watch for signs of future animal neglect. She said this situation went on for too long. 

“If nothing else, I hope the public will hear this story and be alert to this kind of thing going on and take action,” she said. “Don’t let this go on like this.”

Muth said she had been watching the house for weeks when she noticed that phone directories left a week ago had not moved from the porch, but she could still hear dogs barking inside. 

“I was feeling like, ‘Dear God, they’re dying in there,” she said. 

Muth said a kitten was also found living outside.

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