More than a dozen beagles were removed from a home on the 2300 block of 15th Street Wednesday following the rescue of one of the dogs who had ventured into Canada by crossing the Whirlpool Bridge train tracks.
A search warrant of the home was conducted about 11 a.m. Wednesday and it was determined the owners could keep two of the 16 dogs found inside, according to reports from the scene. The SPCA of Niagara and the Sherlock Bones Lost N Hound Dog Recovery group were on hand to assist Niagara Falls Police with the investigation.
A Sherlock Bones representative said the dogs appeared to be in good health but that all have fleas, which some appear to be allergic to, and untrimmed nails.
The representative from Sherlock Bones reported that on May 29, a beagle from the home named Scooby Doo was reported missing. Nearly a month later on June 20, the dog was found and trapped in Niagara Falls, Ont., by the rescue group after crossing the Whirlpool Bridge using the railroad tracks. Arrangements were made to return the dog back to the U.S. Sherlock Bones representatives, in a Facebook post, said the dog was caught near the Gale Center on Thorold Stone Road. The group said 23 ticks were pulled from the dog while it received treatment after its capture. The group also said a when members were at customs to bring the dog back to the U.S., an officer noted that he had seen video of Scooby crossing into Canada.
When the dog was returned to his owners, there was a lot of barking coming from the home which raised questions about how many dogs were living there. When asked, the owner said there were 16.
Sherlock Bones Lost N Hound Dog Recovery notified Niagara Falls Police Department Animal Control Officer Dave Bower and the Niagara County SPCA of the finding. Bower went to investigate but the owners were uncooperative so a search warrant was obtained.
The 14 beagles were taken to the SPCA where they will undergo a medical evaluation and receive any treatment needed. After that, they will be placed up for adoption.
The house was condemned by Code Enforcement due to uninhabitable conditions.
