Animal shelter under investigation, sheriff’s office says charges pending

Evan Bales and Alex Pearson

11 hours ago

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – A Miami County animal shelter is under criticism after sheriff’s officials searched the property on Monday.

In a statement, Our Farm Sanctuary said authorities arrived at the site unannounced with a search warrant. Now law enforcement is shedding light on the matter.

On Monday, police and animal control vehicles searched the property and found 119 cats in one room. 43 of these animals were seized for treatment of upper respiratory infections.

Investigators say the cats were found in unsanitary and overcrowded conditions. Poor air quality reportedly prevented the cats from receiving proper treatment.

In an initial statement on Monday, the protected area told 2 NEWS:

We are not sure why this warrant was issued, why we were not contacted first, and why we were made to feel like we did something wrong when we strive to do the right thing for these animals.

The organization was founded in 2019 and has grown rapidly, taking in hundreds of animals. Some local residents say they have expanded to fast.

Neighbor Jimmie Blanton has lived in the area since the 1970s and says he was not surprised by news of the search.

“It’s constantly growing and something new is being added every day,” Blanton said.

Those who have adopted an animal from the shelter all speak very positively about the operation. The facility was even voted “Best of the Dayton Animal Adoption Centers” in 2023.

But the facility has been on the radar of other Miami County animal shelters for several years. Miami County Animal Shelter Director Rob Clark said he’s gotten a few tips from shelter volunteers over the years. By Monday, the shelter was able to fix the problems.

“I think they have the best intentions and are trying to help people. And then they get into a situation where they can’t handle the amount of animals they have,” Craft said.

Craft received reports from several current and former volunteers about worrying conditions in the sanctuary.

The animal shelter treats the cats seized from the shelter. The cats remain in the care of the county until they have received adequate medical care and can be released for adoption.

“We have offered to continue this assistance through a partnership where we can help them achieve better care for the cats,” Craft said.

2 NEWS asked the reserve for an interview, but was declined.

However, just before 6pm on Tuesday, 2 NEWS received another statement from the sanctuary. In it, co-founder Mitch Leader said, among other things:

The previous statement was poorly informed and I apologize for providing incorrect information regarding both the previous communication from animal control and their attempts to improve the care of animals in our facilities.

The Miami County Sheriff’s Office said charges have been filed.