14 Wolf-Dogs Rescued From Couple Who Now Face Charges of Animal Abuse

A Kansas couple was arrested and now face multiple charges of animal abuse after 14 wolf-dogs were found and rescued from their home, reports Fox 8. The wolf-dogs have since been taken to an "undisclosed location."

According to the outlet, both local police and animal control were called to the home to deal with complaints of noise and "excessive animals." The Lyon County Sheriff's Office shared in a press release a total of 17 dogs were found on the property, 14 of which were wolf-dogs.

To help with the rescue, the police contacted Guardians of the Wolves, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and protection of wolves and wolf-dogs.

In a Facebook post, the organization's CEO Lori Wynn described the home "sadder and worst [sic] then [sic] we could have imagined." The Facebook post also contained a video, which showed the rescue team entering and inspecting the home after rescuing the dogs.

The home was a mess. Viewers will see not only was there clutter and trash spread throughout, but the rescue team in the video also show the floors of certain rooms were covered with feces and blood. At multiple points during the video, members of the team exit the home due to the horrible smell.

"There were animal feces all over the house, the smell was horrendous but there was a specific room where there were two adult animals kept in cages that is just horrific," Wynn said according to Fox 8. "And then from that room, it leads to a bedroom that there were feces all over and blood all over – that room is where we found two puppies. We were told there were two other puppies that died, so we assume that's where the blood came from."

Because the city allows a maximum of five animals to live in one home, the rescue group was originally ordered to leave five dogs behind, says the Sheriff's Office. However, given the inhumane living conditions, the team removed all 17 dogs from the home. Guardians of the Wolves has since moved the 14 wolf-dogs to a sanctuary that mirrors their natural habitat, the location of which remains undisclosed.

Apart from living in filth, the dogs were also reported to be malnourished, with some suffering from parvo and heartworms. The group is currently accepting donations to help fund the recovery and veterinary care necessary to return the dogs back to health.

The couple that owned the dogs—Thomas and Ronda Staggs—were arrested on outstanding warrants at the time of the rescue. The charges for animal abuse were added later.