ASHLAND - Employees of Hillside SPCA, Pottsville, removed dozens of animals from a home in Ashland on Wednesday afternoon after responding to a call about a dog mauling complaint late Tuesday afternoon at 304 Fountain St.
When they arrived at the house, workers discovered numerous animals at the home. Two dog law enforcement officers, Rich Hine, an officer covering Schuylkill County, and Lebanon County officer Chris Seiple went to the home. The officers are employed by the state Department of Agriculture.
Janine Choplick, humane officer with Hillside SPCA, and Barbara Umlauf, director of the shelter, arrived with the officers shortly before noon. They stayed until about 3:30 p.m.
Kezzie Meyers and Kat Hummel, also with Hillside, arrived later to bring crates for the animals.
Karen Salotti, 48, and her husband, Joseph, 55, own the home. Both Hillside and the dog enforcement officers spoke with them.
Removed from the home were two mallards; 26 guinea pigs - one later died on scene; 16 rabbits; a pot bellied pig, which was given to a rescue organizer; 10 dogs; at least eight cats; 22 parakeets; one cockatiel; and four tortoises. The animals taken were signed over to the shelter.
Umlauf said the situation is "one of the worst and saddest" she has seen because of the number of animals.
Choplick said what they found was "disturbing."
Some food was available for the dogs that were not in pens, SPCA employees said. Most of the other animals did not have food, shelter workers said.
"It's crazy. I can't believe people do this kind of stuff," Meyers said.
DOG COMPLAINT
The dog mauling that led to the discovery of the animals occurred between several of the couple's dogs.
Salotti explained what happened to Maggie, a Jack Russell pug mix, that died late Tuesday afternoon.
She said she was inside when she hear commotion. She went out and found her dogs attacking the pug mix.
"I didn't have the strength to lift them off her, so I just threw myself on her," she said of the dog.
It was buried not far from where they live. Her dogs never bit her before and she doesn't know what set them off.
"They just started at the little dog and I just couldn't make them stop. I just don't know why it happened. I'm devastated about it," Salotti said.
However, Jason Dijanni, 19, who lives nearby, said he was walking past the house about 3 p.m. and all was calm on the property.
When he walked by a second time about 4:30 p.m., Jason said one of seven dogs owned by the couple, a Labrador, started to attack the small dog. The others later joined it. Dijanni said he tried to get the attention of the dogs by screaming and hitting the basketball to the fence and poking the dogs with a stick, which did not work.
"It was just like a pack of wolves," he said.
He said Salotti said to call 911, which he did.
A phone call to the Butler Township Police Department was not returned Wednesday.
Seiple asked the couple if they had rabies records and licenses. Salotti said she gave her dogs rabies vaccines. Her husband said they thought their dogs had their licenses. The couple said they owned seven dogs: Lola, a 3-year-old Rottweiler Labrador mix; Summer, a Dalmation, husky and boxer mix, about two years old; Marley, a cockapoo, about 3 years old; Maggie, the dog that died; Molly, also a Jack Russell pug mix, about 4 or 5 years old; and Myra and Kyra, both sisters and Chihuahua mixes, both about 4 or 5 years old.
Each of the dogs was brought outside the officers could inspect them. The Dalmatian mix appeared to be a little thin and the cockapoo had matted hair, SPCA officals said.
A small dog was also there that Karen Salotti said they were pet sitting and the owner would get soon.
None of the dogs were surrendered to the SPCA because Karen would not part with the dogs.
"I really would not want to do that," Salotti said.
"You're in over your head. I can tell you that right now," Umlauf said.
LOOK AROUND INSIDE
Both Hillside employees and the dog officers wanted to go inside the house. The couple let Umlauf, Choplick and Seiple in the house. At least 25 minutes went by before they went back outside.
"The condition of the house is atrocious," Umlauf said.
Inside were cats, tortoises, three additional dogs, a small blind one in a cage on the first floor, which was blocked by items, two additional dogs on the second floor, a small dog and a yellow lab mix.
Cats roamed around the kitchen area. Salotti said she had eight cats. SPCA officials said they counted more than that.
More surprises awaited in the basement. A pot-bellied pig, 26 guinea pigs, five dead ones, rabbits and two mallards were found.
Five rabbits were found in the back of the house in a area enclosed by a wooden fence.
"This is no way for a human to live, let alone an animal," Meyers said as she took two rabbits out of the pen and put them in a small cage.
RESPONSE BY OWNERS
Salotti said her heart was in the right place when it came to caring for the animals; however, before the other animals were discovered she said she thought she had her hands full in response to a comment by Seiple.
She said she rescued all of the animals after some previous tenants left them behind at places they rent.
Asked if having this many animals was normal, she said, "probably not, but it's big hearted."
She said she made attempts to contact people or organizations to let them know of her situation, but "everybody was so overwhelmed when I did call."
She did not provide names. Collecting the animals started "probably about five years (ago)," she said.
Joseph said his wife has a medical condition and the doctor said not to question her when she says things for fear that it might upset her.
He knew about the animals in the basement. "It's been at least two months since I've been down there," he said because he thought she took care of the issue.
"As long as she's taking care of them, its fine," he said of the animals they have.
Accumulating the animals isn't his idea.
"It's not me. It's my wife," he said.
TROUBLE WITH THE LAW
Seiple said Joseph Salotti will be cited for not having licenses for the six dogs after calling the Schuylkill County Treasurer's office. Salotti had asked he be fined instead of his wife.
Salotti also faces fines for not having a veterinarian administer the rabies shots as required by law.
He has to provide information about who owns the other dogs or he could get cited for that also.
A district magistrate will impose the fine of $50 to $300 per offense.
Hine also visited 208 George St., Ashland, and 100 Oak St., Frackville, and knocked on the door. He did not hear any noise, he said. The couple own the properties.
Umlauf said action is pending on what they discovered Wednesday. She said violations could involve improper shelter, lack of food, lack of water, cruelty to animals and filthy living conditions.
NEIGHBORS REACT
Helen and Joseph Whalen live at 301 Peter St. They were on their back porch within viewing distance of the house.
They knew the couple had dogs, but the extent of the animals surprised them.
"We didn't know about all the other stuff," Helen said.
The couple mostly kept to themselves, she said.
When the couple moved into the house years ago, she said, they had three or four dogs.
"I think they ought to live in a farm. That's what I think," she said.
To adopt the animals or make a donation, call the Hillside SPCA at 570-622-7769 or send a donation to Hillside SPCA, P.O. Box 233, Pottsville, PA 17901.