OLNEY (KFDX/KJTL) — After animal control was contacted by an anonymous tip, Olney Police Department seized the house of a local couple, Jerry and Tracy York.

“At first, we were trying to work with them to get them in compliance with city ordinance, however, as we continued, the warrant we got to the backside of the house, we started finding different doors to different rooms that were barricaded, floors completely covered in feces and dogs in deteriorating conditions as we got further back into the house,” Olney Chief of Police Dan Birbeck said.

What they thought was in violation of city animal limits per home was way worse.

Four dogs were emaciated, the smell of ammonia, urine and feces throughout the house, and dogs locked in rooms and completely neglected. All 26 dogs were transferred to the Humane Society of Young County.

“We have an unfinished building out behind, our initial shelter, that we are making into a dog quarantine area so we were able to utilize that for temporary housing for them. And, we called in [Animal Investigation Response], hopeful they would be able to come in and help us, thankfully they were. We are very small, very short-staffed, so having them here to help us literally saved us,” Humane Society of Young County Director Shelby Brogdon said.

President of Animal Investigation Response, or AIR, Monica Ailey said the first thing they do when stepping into cases like these is get the animals in a routine but said despite her 17 years in the field, it’s still disheartening.

“Get them on a schedule, so that they know, they know when their next meal is coming. They know they don’t have to worry about that. They stay in a clean environment so that they are not living in their waste, and so it’s really sad,” Ailey said.

Their next step, going through the process of finding a new loving home.

“Day 1, we are thinking of placement because we want every single animal that comes from these neglected situations and cruelty situations to get to a place where they thrive. Whether it’s a rescue group or another shelter and so we reach out to our placement partners and ask them for help,” Ailey said.

Those partners are doing just that.

Tuesday night all 26 dogs will load up with AIR and make their way to Kansas City and continue receiving medical attention and from there, get adopted.

The Humane Society and AIR team are both seeing progress since taking in the dogs, with one of them having gained eight points since the day of the rescue.

Click here for more information or make a donation to the Young County Humane Society.

Click here for more information or make a donation to AIR.