A 70-year-old Monmouth woman faces charges of animal neglect after 41 dogs were seized from her property in unsafe conditions and a puppy was found dead.

A Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy first contacted the woman Sept. 11 after a stray puppy in poor health was found near her home, police said.

The deputy knew the woman and was aware that she had dogs of the same breed. When the deputy contacted the woman, the deputy observed unsuitable living conditions and a lack of care for the animals, police said.

Deputies accompanied by 12 members of the Oregon Humane Society returned to the woman’s home on Sept. 23 with a search warrant, police said. Police said the woman fully cooperated and voluntarily surrendered the animals.

The team took possession of 41 large guardian mixed breed dogs, which police said lacked socialization and care. Some were near feral, police said.

The team also found three 1-day-old puppies discarded in random locations around the property, which were quickly taken from the scene for immediate care, police said. The puppies were later reported to be doing well. The team also located a fourth puppy, which was dead, police said.

Photos the sheriff’s office shared showed some dogs were tied up and one puppy was found underneath a piece of sheet metal.

OHS took custody of the dogs and is providing medical care and evaluations to them. OHS will conduct all rehoming after the dogs have been treated, placed with temporary care providers and released by the district attorney’s office, police said.

Police said the woman faced charges of second-degree animal neglect. Additional charges were likely to be added after the district attorney reviewed the case and the evidence, including veterinary examination records.

Jail records showed she was not in custody and court records did not show any charges as of about noon on Sept. 25.

The woman had previously received citations for maintaining a dog that is a public nuisance, violating dog licensing requirements and for allowing a dog to run at large.

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Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at ifunk@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @isabeldfunk
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Police seize 41 dogs from Monmouth woman, 1 puppy found dead
Reporting by Isabel Funk, Salem Statesman Journal / Salem Statesman Journal
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