BETHEL, Ohio — In what authorities describe as one of the most egregious cases of animal cruelty in Clermont County, four people are facing over 100 charges in relation to the welfare of dozens of animals found in what officials say were "squalid conditions."
The Clermont County Dog Warden charged the residents of a home on Campbell Lane in Bethel after 38 dogs and seven ferrets were discovered in a home with "feces inches deep" covering the floor.
The dogs were a mix of breeds and ages, the majority of which were Chinese Crested.
“The conditions we saw are hard to describe but they were the worst I’ve ever seen,” Deputy Dog Warden Sarah Steele said in a press release. “The smell of feces and urine were overpowering. The floor was covered inches deep in feces and the dogs were matted in feces and urine. None of the animals had fresh food or water. Their bowls were even filled with feces.”
Neighbors who I spoke to said the incessant barking from the dogs was sometimes overwhelming. Additionally, they described unbearable odors, particularly during the summer months.
Take a deeper look inside the case in the video player below:
Two of the defendants, Terri Sprague and Vicki Miller, were arraigned this week. Both entered not guilty pleas. The homeowner, Sprague, faces 41 counts of cruelty to a companion animal, a first-degree misdemeanor. Her trial is set for June 26.
Miller is charged with four counts of cruelty to a companion animal and 34 counts of complicity. Her trial is scheduled for June 12.
Both of these defendants have pleaded not guilty and were released on their own recognizance after posting bond.
The other two defendants, Christopher Davis and Anthony Miller, have been served warrants and are scheduled for arraignment on June 4.
Anthony Miller, who is Vicki Miller's husband, faces four counts of cruelty to a companion animal and 34 counts of complicity. Christopher Davis, who is Sprague’s son, is charged with one count of cruelty to a companion animal and 34 counts of complicity.
One of the defendants, who declined to speak on camera, expressed her frustration to me, saying, “They were ruthless. They took everything from me.”
Following the discovery, the Clermont County Animal Shelter stepped in to assist with the rehoming of the animals. They say almost all of the dogs have been adopted or placed into foster care, with just one remaining in the shelter.
Each of the defendants faces up to six months in jail, or more than $1,000 in fines.
