Two people near Defiance have been arrested after authorities had to remove nearly four dozen cats and dogs from their home.
The Defiance County Sheriff’s Office says 33 year old Ralph Rupp and his wife, 31 year old Tamara Rupp, were charged with two counts of child endangering, and 10 counts of animal cruelty.
The charges were filed after the sheriff’s office and other county officials investigated a “report of a dirty home” in which children were living.
When officials got there, they found a home with no running water, no electricity, animal feces everywhere, animals in the windows and “deplorable living conditions”.
11 dogs and 36 cats were removed from the home and taken to the Defiance County Humane Society’s animal shelter.
Defiance County Health Department officials were also involved in the case.