Cincinnati police and fire department officials as well as the SPCA removed 19 dogs, one cat and two birds from a vacant house on Vestry Avenue in Clifton Heights Monday.
"This is by far the worst and the nastiest thing i've ever seen and i've been doing it 11 years," said Sergeant M. Reynolds of the Cincinnati Police Department.
Photographs taken by an SPCA officer showed feces all over the house.
"From the front door to the back.The first floor, second floor and the basement," explained Sgt. Reynolds.
The house was rented to a Wendy Heisey though neighbors say they never saw anyone go in or out of the house.
The owner of the house told 9News he had been trying to evict her and collect overdue rent.
In the meantime, the animals were taken to the SPCA for evaluation.
"They do have some obvious skin disorders," said Harry Dates, director of the SPCA.
The owner of the animals faces animal cruelty charges once she is located.
Animal cruelty is a first degree misdemeanor and carries with it the possibility of jail time.
"People mean well and they start taking in a few animals,” said Dates. “What happens is it gets beyond their control.”
