DELAWARE – A Sunbury man whose property was raided last week is facing dozens of criminal charges after authorities confiscated 40 dogs who were being kept in unsanitary and cruel conditions.
The staff of the Delaware County Dog Shelter removed the dogs, mostly pit bulls or pit-bull mixes, from Robert Phillips, Jr’s Kilbourne Road property on April 7.
According to court records Phillips, 30, is facing 30 charges of “prohibitions concerning companion animals.”
Reportedly, at least some of the dogs were being trained to fight.
“Mr. Phillips has been known to us for several years,” after Delaware County Dog Warden Mitchell Garrett said.
Previous visits had found only six dogs, all in good health, and, although additional complaints were lodged in recent years Garrett said no one would complete a witness statement that would enable the dog shelter staff to act.
A statement was received April alleging many more dogs on the property than were previously known and that they had been observed in abusive conditions. With the statement and a search warrant in hand, authorities were able to enter the property, rescue the dogs and also initiate a site investigation of the conditions.
The Delaware County Humane Society, the Marion County Dog Warden’s Office and the Morrow County Humane Agent assisted in the seizure. The rescued dogs are being cared for at the Delaware County dog shelter and the Delaware County Humane Society facility, according to a release from the Delaware County Commissioners.